A Moment Suspended In Time
by A Kiss For A Kill
Summary: A collection of OneShots. Mainly TylerxReid Slash. Some CalebxChase. WARNING:Slash, boylove, yaoi, shonen-ai, etc. Drinking, bad language and some hints of idiocy.
1. My Teddy

My Teddy

Shivers. That's what woke the sleeping person. A glance downward, and they noticed that they were tightly wrapped in a blanket, and yet still cold. The clock's insulting numbers reminded him that it was only three in the morning.

But back to the matter at hand, what caused the shivers? It couldn't just be the cold alone. No. Winters in Massachusetts were cold, but that couldn't be the only cause. Wait...It was a nightmare. A certain someone close to him...getting destroyed by some terrible creature... The scariest part was, he was seeing it all through the creature's eyes. He was the one tearing the person he loved apart. A glance across the room told him no. Confirmed it was just a dream. He sighed in relief.

"You okay Tyler?" Reid asked from the other bed.

"Y-Yeah. Fine. Just a dream. G-Go ahead back to sleep." Tyler replied, trying to get his shaking under control. Trying to hold the warmth that seemed to be escaping no matter what he did.

"You sure? You don't sound too good man." The blonde sat up and looked over to Tyler.

"I told you, I'm fine. J-Just go back to sleep Reid. I'll be fine." Tyler lied. He wouldn't be fine. He'd been having horrifying nightmares for weeks.

"Would it kill you to stop lieing to me?" Reid asked.

"I'm not lieing. It' was just a bad dream. I'll be back to sleep in a five minutes or less. J-Just humor me for once." Tyler almost begged.

"What ever man. But next time you try to tell me you're fine, try to not studder so much." Reid said with a yawn as he rolled over and faced the wall.

Tyler didn't go back to sleep in five minutes. Infact, fourty-five minutes later, he was still awake, still scared to close his eyes. He heard movement from the other side of the room and looked over. Reid's crystal blue eyes were staring back. Those eyes...Tyler couldn't look away from them. He wanted to drown in them, he wanted to live in them, he wanted to be a part of them so he wouldn't scare himself awake every night.

"You said you'd be asleep in five minutes or less." Reid commented. Tyler just shrugged.

"Guess I'm no good at forcing myself to go to sleep."

"Would a teddy bear help?" Reid asked, only half-joking.

"Maybe. Maybe not." Tyler replied with another shrug.

"Try actually laying down instead of sitting up, see if that helps you get to sleep." Reid suggested. Tyler took his advice and put his head on the pillow.

"What about the teddy bear?" Tyler asked, hoping Reid would keep talking just a little bit longer, hoping he would have some reason to not close his eyes, if only for a few moments.

Reid sighed and walked over to Tyler, who was laying on his side and had his back pressed against the wall, almost like he was scared something was going to sneak up behind him. The blonde reached down and lifted the covers off of the younger boy. He flopped down on Tyler's bed and pulled the blanket over himself.

"There's no red bow and buttons for eyes, but what do you think?" Reid asked. Tyler shyly placed a hand on the blonde's exposed chest and then quickly pulled away.

"Doesn't matter. You're warmer than a teddy bear." Tyler replied, glad it was dark so Reid couldn't see him blush.

Reid pulled Tyler away from the wall and closer to him. He wrapped his arms around Tyler's shaking frame and rested his chin on the top of Tyler's mop of brown hair. Tyler made himself comfortable and snuggled closer against the blonde and he eventually stopped shivering. The sound of Reid's even breathing calmed Tyler and he felt himself beginning to grow tired.

"Reid?"

"Hm?"

"I think you're my new favorite teddy bear." Tyler said with a small yawn. Reid laughed softly and Tyler felt safe.


	2. Seraph

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own The Covenant, the characters, blah blah blah, the story is mine, that's it.

Thank you's to:

**firerose**

**star**

**BlackCaleb**

**sky's girl forever**

**Gabwr**

**Dark Angel Kira**

**darkstorm888**

For your reviews!!!

Seraph

"It's not _what_ you say, it's _how you say it._" The little mini-lecture continued through the pounding rain drops.

"So you want me to drop to my knees and seem like the hopless and helpless one in all this."

"Reid, now is hardly the time for your sarcasm." Caleb returned with anger in his eyes.

"Speak of the devil and the bastard lands on your doorstep. Good luck. And Reid, don't fuck this one up." Caleb said as he walked away.

Reid took a deep breath as the attractive brunette approached him.

"Hey, how's it going?" The brunette asked.

"Goin' good. There's something I need to tell you though." Reid said, blue eyes flashing with nervousness.

"What is it?" The brunette asked, slightly concerned. With another deep breath to steady his nerves just a little more, Reid began to try and form coherent sentences.

"I know we've been close for a while, forever really, and I know I've said I love you more than once, but I don't think you realize just how much I mean it. I mean it as more than you know. I-I-I love you. I don't just love you. I'm in fucking love with you." Reid paused for a moment, not quite knowing what to expect.

The brunette was shocked. It was just supposed to be a night at Nicki's. It wasn't supposed to end up with the sexy blonde in front of him saying those things so randomly and suddenly.

Reid felt his heart beginning to sink and shatter. This wasn't what he was expecting. Granted, he wasn't expecting some sort of overjoyed "Oh my God I feel the same way", but the silence was making him more nervous than he was before.

It was getting to be too much. The parking lot was silent. Everyone was crammed inside Nicki's, trying to wait out the storm. Thinking about it, Reid decided that the confrontation might have been a little warmer and drier inside the bar, but there would've been too many people and too many distractions. The cold, the wet, the slience, the nerves, Reid thought he was going to explode.

"Damn it. I knew I shouldn't have said anything." The blonde cursed himself. He couldn't help but fall in love with the angel in front of him. Short brown hair clinging to the slim, pale face. It was hard to not fall in love.

"Reid..." The dripping angel said softly.

Reid couldn't bring himself to do more than just keep his eyes locked onto the ones in front of him. He could see the concern in his Angel's eyes. He just stood there, blue eyes peeking out from underneath dripping blonde hair.

The angel took a single step and closed the small distance between the two of them. A soft, delicate hand shakily made it's way up to the side of Reid's face. Before Reid knew what was happening, lips as cold as death were pressed against his. As quickly as it came, the icy extacy was gone. He looked into the eyes of the person he loved, his dripping angel.

"I fucking love you Tyler, don't ever forget that." Reid said before pulling his angel in for another kiss in the pouring rain in the parking lot of Nicki's bar.


	3. The Truth

The Truth

Nothing was said. No words were needed. It was blaringly obvious what was going on. He had cheated and that was all that mattered. In a flash, the brunette in the doorway had run outside into the rain, being closely followed by a familiar blonde.

"Wait! I didn't want you to find out like that!" Reid called to the brunette.

"Do you love him?" Dark eyes piercing his soul.

"What?" Reid asked.

"Do you love him more than me?" The question was out there. Reid searched his feelings for a moment.

"Yes." He almost whispered.

"And does he make you happy?"

"Yes."

"How much do you love him?"

"I'd bleed for him. I'd die for him."

"Would he do the same for you?"

"...Yes." Reid whispered again.

"Then go to him. I should've seen what was going on between you two. But you could've said something." The brunette said with a head shake, dark eyes shining with everything but anger. The brunette walked off, leaving Reid in the rain.

He walked back to his room in silence. There, laying on his bed, was the cause of his dash into the rain.

"What-" The fragile looking boy on the bed asked, nervously glancing over to his discarded shirt and wondering if he should leave.

"Gone. Gone for good. But I don't care." Reid said softly, crystal blue eyes flashing with love and desire.

"How can you say that? I thought you said you two were cut out for eachother."

"Doesn't always mean the best of things. I ever tell you you're a naive little fucker?" Reid asked with a smile.

"Haha."

"She didn't mean anything. I was going to tell her tomorrow anyway. 'Cuz the truth is, I love you more than anything." Reid said honestly. Tyler just smiled.


	4. For Now and Ever

For Now And Ever

A moment later and the scratching had stopped. Reid looked down at his newest work of art, smiling proudly as Tyler studied it.

With a head shake, Tyler said, "I guess you really are serious."

"Why the hell wouldn't I be? You're not like the other people I've been with. I plan on making this last longer than humanly possible. If I die before you, I swear, my ghost will haunt you. I love you. I. Love. You." Reid said, emphasizing the last three words.

"I love you too. Always." Tyler whispered.

He laid his head down on Reid's shoulder and breathed deeply, taking in his scent, the smell he couldn't get enough of. He began to trace his fingers along the deep carving in the picnic table in the middle of the park. Even in the dim moonlight, the words were clear as day. _Reid G&Tyler S for now and ever. _That carving would mean something forever. Reid hadn't Used once to make the etching. It was all done by hand and executed beautifully, every letter elegant.

"For now and ever." Tyler murmered.

"For now and ever." Reid replied.


	5. AwompBombAloobomb, Aloop BamBoom

AWOMP-BOMB-ALOOBOMP, ALOOP-BAMBOOM

"Let's play a game." Tyler said, laying on his bed in the doorm, staring at the ceiling.

"What kind of game?" Reid asked from accross the room in the same position.

"I dunno. Anything would be more fun that this."

"Than what? I happen to _like_ memorizing all the tiny little cracks in the ceiling." Reid said sarcastically.

"That makes one of us." Tyler muttered.

"Drinking game?" Reid asked.

"Only if we stay away from the hard stuff and don't go overboard. I'd like to keep my liver, thank you much." Tyler replied.

"Just gotta take all the fun out of it, don't ya?" Reid joked.

Tyler replied with an eyeroll.

"Let's play Twister." Reid then suggested.

"Yeah. Okay. We both know where _that's_ gonna end up." Tyler commented dryly.

"Hide and seek?" Reid tried.

"In our doorms? Yeah right. Only place to go is in the closet. And we once again know exactly where it's going to end up."

"Charades?"

"You suck at that game."

"I suck at other things too." Reid said with a smirk and a seductive wink. Tyler just rolled his eyes.

"Uhhh...Sevens?"

"Drinking game. Thought I covered that." Tyler returned.

"Okay. Sports I'm abnormally good at: Sevens, Quarters, Beer Pong, and I Never." Reid replied.

"There's no way to be good at I Never. Unless you've lived in isolation your entire life." Tyler pointed out.

"You can be very good as long as there's a steady stream of alcohol and you can hold your liquor." Reid shot back.

Tyler just laughed.

"Fine. You've got your wish. Sevens." Tyler replied.

"What? You seriously want to play sevens?" He asked.

"Sure. I'm good enough at math." Tyler said with a shrug.

Reid just grinned.

-------ONE HOUR LATER-------

Reid giggled.

"Would ya just tell me?" Tyler slurred.

"Hold on. Damn numbers won't stop moving." Reid giggled again as he worked with the calculator.

"It's uhhh...Yeah. Multiple of seven. Down it." Reid slurred. He was drunker than Tyler, by more than just a little.

"Are you sure 896 is a seven?" Tyler asked again.

"Yeah. The numbers stopped movin' for a sec. It's a multiple of seven. Now drink." Reid said with yet another giggle.

Tyler downed another cup half full of beer.

"Okay. 897" Reid said.

"Nope. You said seven. Guess again muther fucker." Tyler said with a drunken smile. Reid downed his cup and started to sway back and forth.

"Oh shit. Goin' down." He said as he fell over.

This time it was Tyler who giggled as he picked a Sharpie up from the floor. He looked from the marker and to his boyfriend and then back a few times. He could think of one blonde that would be less than happy with his appearance first thing in the morning, that is, as soon as he got over his killer hangover.

(A/N: Cookies to anyone who can tell me where the title is from and why it fits the story!!!!)


	6. Behind Closed Doors

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Tyler or Reid, although I would probably have a heartattack and die if for some reason the rights were given to me.**

**sky's girl forever:** I'll help with your anticipation by updating more often now that class is out for a little while.

**star: **Yeah, I love that line too. It was based off of something that happened to a friend of mine at a party once. I wasn't there when it happened, I had to leave early 'cause I was breaking out in hives on account of me being allergic to his sister's dog XD

**UniqueMe:**Close. I can see why you would say Grease. It's actually from 21 JumpStreet. It's the title of one of the episodes and Johnny Depp's character ends up in Miami and inorder to try to get a hotel room they have to play sevens. Winner gets the room.

* * *

Behind Closed Doors

Heated kisses pushed the passion through Tyler's veins like some sort of drug. The press of Reid's tongue against his was sending him over the edge. Pale pink lips shoved so forcefully against his, it was extacy.

Reid's mind was on over-drive. Tyler's warm tongue fighting him, begging to be dominant just once. His deathly cold lips sent shockwaves through Reid's body. He pulled away for just a second in hopes of pulling at least a little precious oxygen into his deprived lungs. The lust and passion in Tyler's eyes spread to him like liquid fire, rushing through his system.

A short amount of time later and shirts were tossed accross the room. Their little circuit of fire moved quickly up to Reid's bed, hands now roaming freely.

Things were getting even more heated and were going to get more interesting when they heard a groan from the doorway.

"Come on you guys! At least lock the door or put up a 'Do Not Disturb Sign' or something!" Pogue's voice came from the doorway.

Reid sat up from where he was laying across Tyler so he was straddling the boy's slim hips.

"Like you and Kay are any better." Reid called, never taking his eyes off of Tyler.

"At least we have the courtesy to lock the door." Caleb called from beside Pogue.

"So leave and close the damn door when you go so we can lock it behind you and everyone stops bitching." This time it was Tyler that spoke.

With identical eye rolls, Caleb and Pogue left with the distinct mutter from Caleb of "Last time I go to invite them to Nicki's without knocking."

A flash of his eyes, the door was locked and Reid bent down once again, lips hovering dangerously close to Tyler's.

"Shall we continue?" He didn't need an answer. Tyler's eyes said everything Reid could ever want to hear.


	7. Conversations

**A/N:** Okay, first, I'd like to apologize for the wait time. Two days after my last post, I lost WiFi and didn't have a way to upload my stories. Second, I'd like to say that I have been working on actual stories instead of just one-shot collections. There _will_ be a Covenant story by me coming out soon. Look for it. It may be a little crappy, but that's because I have ADD and often times forget just where the story is supposed to be heading. Now to the fun stuff.

**JessicaRose: **Here's your update. Sorry it took so long.

**skysgirlforever:** I love them together too .

**LillieBillie90210:** Thank you for the words of encouragement. I'll try to keep the updates flowing now that I got WiFi back.

**SPECIAL THANKS TO: YOLINARE, ZOEKSKE AND LILLIEBILLIE90210 FOR FAVORITING ME!!! FOR EVERY PERSON THAT LOVES ME, I CREATE ANOTHER SLASH!!! LOVE ME!!!! XD**

Okay. Now we can get to the story .

* * *

**Conversations**

**heartbeatxstill** has signed on

**fallenfromgrace** has signed on.

**fallenfromgrace: **_God, your s/n is so fxcking emo._

**heartbeatxstill: **And yours isn't?

**fallenfromgrace: **_You know ILY_

**heartbeatxstill: **ILY2. So wacha doin?

**fallenfromgrace:**_ Wishin' I was with you..._

**heartbeatxstill: **Don't. You're gonna make me cry.

**fallenfromgrace: **_If you cry, will you come home sooner?_

**heartbeatxstill: **I wish. I'm stuck here for 3 more days.

**fallenfromgrace:**_ AHH! 3 more days?! I'm gonna implode!!_

**heartbeatxstill: **Don't die!! If you implode, I'll die! And I'm too young to die!!

**fallenfromgrace: **_Not to mention good looking. :_

**heartbeatxstill: **Damn you're a sweetheart. And a cutie. )

**fallenfromgrace: **_I miss you so much babe. I miss waking up to you in the morning, I miss your stupid hypocritical nicknames..._

**heartbeatxstill: **You're crying, aren't you? Ya little fairy queen. XD jk.

**fallenfromgrace: **_Gah. When you get here, I'm going to kiss you until we both run out of air and pass out._

**heartbeatxstill: **Sounds like fun. But you'll run out of air before I do.

**fallenfromgrace: **_Maybe. Wanna catch a movie when you get back?_

**heartbeatxstill: **What's the point? I won't be abtle to follow the story.

**fallenfromgrace: **_Why not? o.o_

**heartbeatxstill: **Your tongue rammed down my throat is very distracting. XD

**fallenfromgrace: **_You don't complain at the time XP_

**heartbeatxstill: **Ah shit. I gotta go. Mom's screaming from the other room. I **HATE** family reunions. Wastes perfectly good summer days.

**fallenfromgrace: **_I know what you mean. But before you leave, there's something I gotta tell you._

**heartbeatxstill:** What is it babe? -slightly worried-

**fallenfromgrace: **_I love you Reid Garwin, with all of my heart and soul._

**heartbeatsxstill: **And I love You, Tyler Simms, with all that I am.

**fallenfromgrace: **_Bye babe, see ya soon 33333333_

**heartbeatxstill: **Bye lover. X&O& 3

**heartbeatxstill **has signed off.

_Save document "Conversation"?_

_Changes saved._

**fallenfromgrace **has signed off.


	8. Haikus

**A/N:** Holy Crow. Wowzers. I say love me and I'll write slash and I feel loved. Over thirty reviews. I feel warm and fuzzy inside. Thank you guys soooo much.

**Lanaktty:** Consider this your uncaging .

**exitlight:** Adorable is what I strive for! ...On occasion...

**let the power consume you:** That chappie was actually based off of a text message convo I had with an old boyfriend (now ex). I thought it would be a cute idea.

**Marcus1233:** ...Dude...Talk about tons of reviews. I know that parts of my stories don't always fit together perfect, but most of these are written early in the morning where my parents /coughcough\homophobes/coughcough\ can't disturb me or during class when I'm supposed to be memorizing the anatomy of a small rat for dissection. But thanks for your feed back. Oh, and about the whole "Tyler dominating", I like to think there are more to characters than what's seen in the movie. Tyler and Reid are almost secondary characters. For all we know, their personalities while they're alone could be totally different from when they're with the others. Take that home, chew on it for a little while. It's delicious.

Now for the fun stuff. Favorited (Author and Story, I'm honestly shocked) by all of the following: **HALLIWITCH, A FRIEND FOR LIFE AND BEYOND, TYLER SIMMS 15458, LET THE POWER CONSUME YOU, KOS-MOS 607, ONLYVAMPIRESCANLOVEYOUFOREVER, AND PNKRKRIOTGIRL. **

**_PEOPLE LIKE YOU, REVIEWERS AND FAVORITERS ALIKE ARE THE REASON I KEEP WORKING ON ALL OF MY STORIES!!!! THANK YOU FOR BEING THERE TO READ MY STORIES!!!_**

Now, I give you...The next chapter. Please enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing. Reviews/Flames totally welcome dude.

* * *

HAIKUS

Tyler is in love,

A gorgeous obnoxious blonde,

The one they call Reid.

* * *

Three words he can't say. 

"I love you" sits on his lips.

But Reid can't tell him.

* * *

A conversation 

All about Tyler and Reid

And their wedding day.

* * *

Two Sons of Ipswitch 

Falling together in love,

Danvers and Collins.

* * *

"I-I do love you." 

"Okay, so let's run away."

"Only with you Reid."

* * *

Whispered "I love you's" 

In the darkness of the night.

One blonde, one brunette.

* * *

Ignore the comments, 

They are happy together.

Leave their love alone.


	9. Killing Loneliness

**A/N:** Sorry for the wait. I've been caught up with my classes. Two weeks in and I'm already buried in homework, not to mention the six a.m. meetings for the Academics Team I'm on, so thanks for being so patient. I don't own the Covenant, though if I did, Tyler and Reid would most definately be living in my closet right now. I don't own the song either. That belongs to His Infernal Majesty. A word to my reviewers...

**exitlight:** I'm trying to make them longer without making them boring. I'll keep working on them though. And thanks for all your reviews.

**raven 2547: **Thanks! I was really worried about those. I didn't think they'd turn out like they did.

**Lanaktty:** I'll work on it. I used to write poetry all the time, but gave that up and became a songwriter instead. I never really did haikus before this and I was really worried. For you, one of my most faithful reviewers, I will gladly work on more ReidXTyler poetry :)

**Pnkrkriotgirl:** I'm glad you liked it. I was almost positive I'd get Flamed from here to Kitee for that one.

**Shiek 2:** Here's your update and I'm sorry for the wait. And another thing...**_THANK YOU FOR THE FAVORITE!!!_**

**sky's girl forever:** Yay for updates!! Thanks for all the reviews!

**Miss Insolence:** Thank you so much! I get this warm fuzzy feeling when people tell me they actually _like_ what I'm working on. That warm fuzzy feeling is what keeps me writing. Oh, and before I forget...**_THANK YOU FOR THE FAVORITE!!!!!_**

Now to the story :)

* * *

Killing Loneliness

(A/N: This was written rather strangely. I'll explain the POV changes at the end.)

_**Memories, sharp as daggers**_

_**Peirce into the flesh of today.**_

_**Suicide of love took away all that matters**_

_**And buried the remains in an unmarked grave in your heart.**_

So this is what I've been reduced to. Watching, wanting, but never being able to have what I want. No, it's what I need. It's like air. You take if for granted until it's gone and then you're helpless without it.

_**With the venomous kiss you gave me**_

_**I'm killing loneliness (killing loneliness)**_

_**With the warmth of your arms you saved me**_

_**Oh I'm killing loneliness with you.**_

_**Killing loneliness that turned my heart into a tomb.**_

_**I'm killing loneliness.**_

He only sees me as I presented myself and how he wants to see me. He doesn't know me. He doesn't know that I don't hate him, that I'm a lot like him, that I'm just as scared of the addiction and dying young as he is. We're sharing the same burden and walking the same road and he can't see that.

_**Nailed to a cross together**_

_**As solitude begs us to stay.**_

_**Then we'll disappear in the lie forever**_

_**And denounce the power of death over our souls as secret words are said to start a war.**_

Why did I have to fall in love with you? It fills my mind. Little hearts with your initials, the little C.D.s filling them up. Is your heart full of little C.Cs? Or C.P.s maybe? But you still love little Sarah, don't you? Sweet, innocent little Sarah. She's nothing like the evil monster Chase, is she?

_**With the venomous kiss you gave me **_

_**I'm killing loneliness (killing loneliness)**_

_**With the warmth of your arms you saved me**_

_**Oh I'm killing loneliness with you.**_

_**Killing loneliness that turned my heart into a tomb.**_

_**I'm killing loneliness.**_

I watch you with your brothers, with your girlfriend, and I feel my heart break. I'm like Romeo hiding out in Mantua when all I want is to be in Verona with my beloved. I'm in banishment. I didn't want to hurt you, I never did. You don't care though. Caleb Danvers will be the death of me.

_**Killing loneliness.**_

_**With the venomous kiss you gave me **_

_**I'm killing loneliness (killing loneliness)**_

_**With the warmth of your arms you saved me**_

I'm sorry I shunned you Chase. It was to be expected. Maybe I was imagining the regret in your eyes that night we were fighting. Did you mean anything when you kissed me, or was it spur of the moment and meaningless? The only reason I hate you, Chase Collins, is because of the confusion you left me in.

* * *

(A/N #2: The reason I waited was to instill suspense . Ok. The first part was written from Chase's point of view 'cuz I don't think he really died. The second one is Caleb's point of view 'cuz I like to think he's terrified of dying young just like everyone else. The third and fourth ones are Chase and the last one is Caleb. I hoped you liked it!!!) 


	10. Hope

**A/N:** Before we get started...I do not own The Covenant or any of the characters. If I did...Let's just say there would've been a _lot_ more slash going on in that movie. Mmhmm. A warning: Very angsty. May cause tears to leak from your eyes if you have a heart. Word to the Reviewers...

**cajun-beauty:** I don't think he did either. I'm working on more of the CXC's too. I've got a few songfics in the works about them. -nods-

**the power will come:** Thanks for the cookies!!! -munches and types-

**lanaktty:** I'm working on a story where he comes back, so don't worry. It's just slow going 'cause I can never seem to get it right. And don't worry. I have another TyXReid IM convo in the works. I wrote it during chemistry class XD It's just tweaking it so it flows right.

**JessicaRose: **I try to do the unexpected every now and then . and this next chapter is FULL of drama. -solemn nod-

* * *

Hope

**WARNING:** Very angsty story to follow with a less than perfectly happy ending. And this is going to be more of a two-shot than a one-shot. I am planning a continuation of this. Thank ya much for the readin' of the story!

"Oh my God. What happened? Ty, talk to me!" Reid looked down at the boy in his arms.

Reid had been taking a walk through the woods surrounding the academy and hadn't bothered with going in when it started pouring rain. He heard something similar to sobbing and followed the sound. He eventually found Tyler laying in a heap, clothes dirty and slightly ripped. The sobbing was coming from the brunette. He'd sat down on the wet ground and gathered Tyler up in his lap. Tyler clung to him like his life depended on it and just continued sobbing.

"I'm an idiot. I'm a fool." Reid couldn't understand anything else the boy was saying.

Reid picked Tyler up and carried him back to the dorm room, glad it was dark and glad it was late, glad that everyone else was in their dorm rooms so there would be no questions asked.

Reid placed Tyler on his bed and grabbed a towel from the bathroom, wrapping it around Tyler's shoulders before throwing two blankets around the boy. Reid took a seat on the bed next to where Tyler was sitting and wrapped his arms around him in an attempt to get the soaked boy warm.

"Tyler, tell me what happened." Reid said softly.

"I trusted him. That's what happened." Tyler's blue eyes were blood-shot and red-rimmed.

"What happened Ty? Did he break up with you?" Reid felt himself shifting to his over-protective side.

"He...He..."

"You can tell me. I'm here for you Baby Boy."

Tyler slowly looked up and met Reid's gaze.

"Reid...He..." The last part was inaudible.

"He what, Tyler?" Reid was fearing the worst. He felt his throat close up in apprehension and his breathing became restricted, and he was only _listening_.

"He raped me Reid." Tyler whispered.

The brunette began sobbing in Reid's chest again and Reid mechanically wrapped his arms around Tyler. It wasn't long before the sobbing boy was physically and emotionally exhausted and had fallen asleep. Reid carefully laid Tyler down and picked up his cell phone.

"Caleb, I need you to come to my dorm room and look after Tyler for a bit. No, he's not okay. I can't tell you. He's the only one that can decide if he wants you to know." Reid hung up the phone and waited for Caleb to knock.

"Reid, what the hell's going on?" Caleb demanded.

"Just sit here with Tyler. If he wakes up before I'm back, just sit with him and let him cry. Tell him I'll be back soon." Reid turned and went to leave. Caleb's voice stopped him when his hand was on the doorknob.

"What happened to him?"

"Only he can tell you."

Reid left the dorm, left the campus completely and walked down to Nicky's. Once indside he took a seat at the bar and waited patiently for Nicky to come to him.

"Nicky. I gotta question to ask you." Reid said, mind still on over-drive.

"What's up?"

"You see the guy Tyler was with earlier tonight?" Reid asked.

"Yeah. That Alex Warner guy that Aaron's always messin' with. Why?"

"Just asking."

Reid stood up and left the bar, trudging back through the rain to his dorm room. When the opened the door to the room he shared with Tyler, Caleb was sitting on his bed, staring at the wall above Tyler.

"He kept saying he was a fool to let it happen. What'd he let happen Reid?" Caleb finally looked at the blond.

"He trusted Alex Warner." Reid said as he shrugged off his water-logged jacket.

"Reid...Did Alex..." Caleb couldn't finish the thought.

"Rape him? Yeah. The motherfucker." Reid said, voice strangely empty and face blank, only his eyes held traces of anger.

"Don't do anything stupid." Caleb pleaded.

"I'm not going to. When Tyler wakes up again I'm going to call the cops and be there for him every step of the way. That's the only thing I can do. I won't do Tyler much good if I'm in jail with Alex for beating him to a pulp." Reid sighed and dropped into the chair by his desk and rubbed his eyes.

"You want me to stay here?" Caleb asked softly.

"No. Go home, take care of your mom. She needs you more than I do and I think I can take care of Tyler." Reid sighed, eyes still closed.

"You need anything, call me." Caleb said as he left.

)()()()()()()()()()()()()()(THE NEXT DAY)()()()()()()()()()()()()(

"Reid, just let it die and left me forget." Tyler said as he covered his head with the blanket. He would've rolled over if it hadn't been for the fact that he didn't like the idea of anyone being behind him anymore.

Reid sat down on the bed and gently pulled the blanket down and looked into Tyler's eyes that were still filled with fear.

"Ty, this isn't just going to go away. You can't just spend the rest of your life pretending this never happened." Reid said softly.

"Why not?" Tyler's eyes were shining with unfallen tears.

"It's not healthy Baby Boy."

Tyler closed his eyes and Reid placed a hand on Tyler's shoulder, causing the younger boy to suddenly stiffen.

"You can't live a lie." Reid whispered.

Later that day, Reid called the cops and reported what Alex had done, he held onto Tyler as he sobbed his story and tried to hold back his disgust as Alex smirked at Tyler before they shoved him into the awaiting car.

"They're going to want you to go through therapy." Reid said later that afternoon.

"I know."

Tyler sat down in a corner with his knees drawn up to his chest, his arms wrapped around his legs and his chin on his knees after the police had left. He hadn't moved in the course of four hours. He just stared at the wall across from him, occasionally answering Reid when the blond spoke directly to him and an answer was necessary.

Reid sat down with his back against the wall next to Tyler.

"You know I'm here for you." Reid said softly.

"I know."

"I'm going to be here every step of the way."

"I know."

Reid sighed and tilted his head back against the wall.

"What I don't know is why it had to be me." Tyler whispered.

Reid opened his eyes and looked at Tyler.

"I don't know either. Maybe to make you stronger."

"It's just made me scared and paranoid and I hate it!" Tyler's voice was quivering.

"I know."

"I just want to disappear. I could've stopped him. I could've Used and stopped him." Tears flowed down the brunette's face.

"No, you couldnt've.You trusted him and what he did so suddenly confused you and you couldn't think rationally." Reid said soothingly.

Tyler cried and leaned towards Reid, who could do little more that wrap his arms around the distressed boy and whisper soothing words.

"I'm always going to be here, Baby Boy."

It was later in the week when Reid and Caleb met in the small dorm room while Tyler slept fitfully.

"You don't think he'll get over it." Reid accused.

"I don't think he'll ever fully recover." Caleb said carefully.

"He's going to be fine. I know he is."

"Are you trying to convince me or you?"

"I don't need any convincing. He'll be fine." Reid nodded slightly as he spoke.

"Because you love him?"

"Because that's all he needs." The blond whispered.

"Don't mean to be rude, but you loving him can't save him." Caleb whispered.

"No. But it can help him save himself."

Tyler would've smiled at the conversation if he weren't pretending to sleep. For the first time in a week, he felt like there was hope, the hope that he'd eventually be the same person he was before, that he'd be able to eventually forgive himself for what happened and let people get close. He was glad that Reid had given him hope.


	11. Deterioration sequel to Hope

**Marcus1233:** The whole Haiku thing was totally impulsive of me, and thanks for continuing to review. I was almost positive I'd offended you and lost a reviewer. That would've depressed me. :-( And yes...That Alex character is an ass.

**JessicaRose:** Poor Tyler indeed. I feel like JigSaw... "Oh yes, there will be angst." XD

**EDWARD CULLEN dazzles me:** About the whole "Don't leave him broken" thing...I was _planning_ on putting him back together, but about half-way through I ran out of glue...JK. And let me know if you do decide to write your own slash. I'd be honored to help you work things out. Thanks sooooo much for all the reviews and **_THANKS A TON FOR THE FAVORITE!!!_**

**cajun beauty:** Reid's character reminds me of the over-protective older brother that's just too cool to show he cares in public. But once alone...He's a giant teddy bear of love! XD

**blazingfire03: **Pogue really isn't in this little two-shot. The only reason I introduced Caleb into this one was so I could have an excuse for Reid to unknowingly confess his love to Tyler :-) 'Cause I'm evil like that.

**skysgirlforever:** Sorry, no beating of the asshole OC. I'm saving the senseless violence for something else. -evil grin-

**lanaktty:** For you...Yes. The next chapter will be the slash pairing you wanted. I'm cool with requests. Including scenario requests. Don't be scared to request. As long as you review at the same time. :-)

**cutiepie2191:** Thanks for that. It was supposed to be sad and yet somehow cute, so I'm really glad I got that across.

**the power will come:** Here's your update. Where's my cookie?!?! -munches on magical cookie- I wanted to kill Alex too, and I created him! XD

**carlyjo:** Not quite...The title was from 21 Jumpstreet...But have a cookie for the effort. And to be honest with you, I never thought about it like that, the song lyrics and all...I explained to **uniqueme** what it was from at the top of an earlier chapter, if you're craving a more indepth explanation. But thanks for the review! **_THANKS FOR FAVORITING!!_**

**A/N:** Thank you to everyone reviews, favorites me or my story or even puts me on the alert list. You're the reason I keep writing. And another thing...If you have a scenario or a slash pairing you want to see, let me know. I'll gladly try my hardest to make it work.

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Deterioration(sequel to 'Hope')

"I thought we were through with all this." Reid said softly.

"I thought we were too, but...Reid." Tyler shook his head.

"Just because he's getting out today doesn't change anything." Reid promised.

"It changes everything."

"There's a restraining order. He can't even be anywhere _near_ Spencer's."

"That doesn't mean he isn't going to want to get even." Tyler was terrified.

"He can't. I won't let him anywhere near you."

Later in the month, Tyler was buying grocieries when his fear caught up to him. Someone came up behind him, curly brown hair, wearing a similar cologne to the one Alex had and his breathing stopped. He swore for a moment he was back in the woods and it _was_ Alex behind him. It certainly looked a bit like him. Tyler shook it off and continued shopping. But it's hard to continue on like normal when Alex is walking down the street outside.

"Sir?" The girl at the register seemed a bit worried.

"Sorry." Tyler smiled as he handed her his money.

He walked outside with his bags and loaded up the back of his Hummer when he heard an all-too-familiar voice.

"Still so scared? It's not a crime if you enjoyed it as much as I did."

Tyler was determined to not show Alex how scared he was. He turned around and looked him in the eyes.

"It was a crime. I have a restraining order. I call the cops, you're going back to jail." Tyler said, determined to not let his voice quiver.

"I'm leaving Ipswitch. Going to California to live with my uncle."

"Good riddance." Tyler said.

"I might leave Ipswitch, but I'm never going to leave you." Alex smirked and walked away.

"Why didn't you just call the cops?" Reid's voice was even.

"Because I'm tired of relying on other people to save me from situations."

"You're angry." Reid said softly after a moment.

"I guess this is what it feels like when your world falls apart and it put back together only to be jolted and lose a piece or two." Tyler laughed bitterly.

"No. This is called deterioration." Reid said.

"Deterioration of what? In case you haven't noticed, there's not much of me left anymore."

"There's plenty of you left. What's deteriorating is your dependancy on other people, your blame for yourself, you're losing the sense of you deserving what happened..."

"So your saying this is for the best, is that it? It's best that I ran into him today?"

"I'm saying it's for the best."

"Why? Why do you say that?" Tyler asked, unsure of if he should be outraged or confused.

"Because you're not scared of him anymore. You proved to yourself and everyone else you can stand up on your own two feet and be your own person. You've come out better from this experience." Reid said with a smile.

"I knew there was a reason I decided to trust you before anyone else." Tyler said softly.

Reid smiled and was in some twisted way glad Tyler had run into Alex without him there. Sometimes deterioration is necessary...


	12. Requested Slash

**lanaktty:** I _am_ acutally working on a full-lenght story, I'm just having problems getting it to flow 'cause I know where I want it to end up, but it's not wanting to go that way without making the story max out around ten chapters, and that's kinda short. -growl-

**cajun-beauty:** It would've killed me to leave Tyler that broken! And I have this theory that deep down, Reid's slightly sadistic. -nods-

**Cutiepie2191:** As long as I keep getting reviews, I'll keep writing the slash. .

**Dark Angel Kira:** Yeah. That time I was going for "damn that's sad, but it's really sweet of Reid to be there";

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**A/N: **This is an AU fic. TylerXChase pairing done on request. I only own the story line. Please tell me what you think. Reviews make me feel fuzzy inside :-)

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"Tyler! Where the hell have you been?" Reid asked as his roommate walked in.

"Doing sociolgy homework." Tyler shrugged.

"You wouldn't happen to have the chemistry homework, would you?" The blond asked hopefully.

"Why? You're smart enough to do it on your own."

"Yeah, but it's kind of purpose-defeating to be a self-proclaimed slacker and then do my own homework." Reid pointed out as he turned on the radio.

"Turn that shit down!" Tyler ordered as he pulled out his calculus book.

"Mmmm...No. I like this station."

"Not all of us are self-proclaimed slackers and we need to get our work done."

"Your fault, not mine." Reid shrugged.

With an aggrivated sigh, Tyler shoved his books into his backpack and rose.

"Where are you going?" Reid asked.

"Some place I can actually get something done."

"Cool. If I'm not here when you get back, don't wait up."

Tyler didn't answer. He instead left the room. Muttering to himself, he trudged up another flight of stairs that lead him to an all-too-familiar door. He knocked twice.

"Reid again?" Caleb asked.

Tyler sighed and nodded, glad Caleb had decided to spend his senior year in the dorm with the rest of them.

"Come on in." Caleb smiled.

Tyler stepped inside and noticed Chase sitting at the large desk doing some kind of homework. Caleb flopped onto his own bed and resumed typing on his laptop, IMing someone from the sound of it. Tyler dropped his bag on Chase's bed before sprawling out with his calculus book infront of him.

The three of them worked in silence, broken only by the occasional chuckle from Caleb. After a long period of silence, Caleb closed up the laptop and announced he was taking Sarah to dinner.

"Chaaaaaaase...What did you get for nineteen on the calc homework?" Tyler asked while Caleb changed.

"I'm only on twelve." Chase laughed.

"Damn you!" Tyler cursed playfully.

Chase threw a pen at him and Tyler responded in kind.

"Now, now kids. Play nice and don't kill eachother while I'm gone." Caleb smiled as he pulled on a jacket.

"We won't." Chase and Tyler chorused.

Caleb laughed and walked out the door.

"Ty, what'd you get for nine on the history work?" Chase asked.

"Cuneiform, heiroglyphics, sanscrit and Phoenician." Tyler read off his paper.

"Really?"

Chase reose from the desk and walked over to his bed. He looked over Tyler's shoulder and breathed on the back of Tyler's neck.

"Don't." Tyler whispered.

"Don't what?" Chase asked innocently.

"You know what you're doing to me."

"And you're complaining?"

"I need to get the homework done."

Chase rested his hands on the edge of the bed and kissed the nape of Tyler's neck.

"Don't." Tyler protested as he bit back a moan.

Chase responded with another kiss.

"Fuck it." Tyler gasped as he pushed his books to the floor.

He rolled over and pulled Chase down on top of him. Chase pressed his lips to Tyler's. Tyler tangled his fingers in Chase's hair. He moaned and shuddered when Chase slid cold hands up his shirt.

Tyler only protested wehn Chase tried undressing him.

"What about Caleb?" Tyler panted.

"What about him? He has Sarah. We could always call the two of them over. Might be a little freaky, but if that's what you want..." Chase flashed his trademark smirk.

"You know what I mean." Tyler sighed.

Chase slid his hands beneath the thin fabric of Tyler's shirt and around to the small of his back. Chase nibbled on Tyler's earlobe and ground his hips against the slim ones beneath him. Tyler moaned and arched his back.

"Damn it Chase." Tyler breathed.

"Something wrong?" Chase purred.

"Fuck." Was all Tyler could manage.

"Gladly."

Tyler didn't protest as the older boy slid his shirt off. There was a knock at the door as Tyler was returning the favor.

"Ignore it." Tyler growled.

Chase smirked and rolled off of Tyler and walked over to the door.

"Well hello Reid." Chase said brightly.

"You seen Tyler? I can't find my chemistry book and I need to know if he's seen it or if I can borrow his." Reid sighed.

"Tyler? As in Tyler Simms? About yay big? Brown hair? Blue eyes? That Tyler?" Chase asked.

"Yeeeah. The _only_ Tyler I know."

"Mmm..." Chase pretended to be thinking.

"Chase! Get back in here and close the door!" Tyler cried.

"Is Tyler...You know what? Nevermind. I don't want to know." Reid said.

Chase closed the door and took his time getting back to Tyler. He straddled Tyler's hips and slid just the tips of his fingers under the waistline of Tyler's jeans.

"Stop toying with me like this." Tyler begged.

"But what if Caleb walks in?" Chase asked innocently.

"We'll deal with that when and if we have to."

"I don't know..."

"Stop being a sadist." Tyler pleaded.

"What's in it for me?"

"..._You in me._"

"...That's a damn good point."

Tyler moaned as Chase nibbled his earlobe again and prayed Reid was a jackass more often.

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**A/N: **Woo! That one was relatively painless. I _will_ do different slash pairings on request. If you have a certain scenario you'd like to see, include it in a review or PM me or something. _**I have no problem with taking requests.**_ Love to all who review!!!! 


	13. Black Orchid

**A/N:** There's more angst here than "Hope". This one also deals with suicidal thoughts. Don't like, don't read. To get the best effect, listen to the song while you read it. It broke my heart to write this, so I hope you at least sniffle when you read it. I don't own The Covenant and I don't own the song, though I love both.

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**priori:** Thanks. I'm really glad I did that one right enough for a usual TylerXChase no-likey type person to think it was good.

**cutiepie2191:** Thanks for actually thinking my stories are good, lol.

**the power will come:** Prepare to love me and make me cookies cause your slash is in the works!

**raven2547:** I'm working on that particular pairing as you read. I say that 'cause we're not speaking so that one wouldn't work XD Thanks for reading!

**sparkley-tangerine:** Thanks for thinking these are nicely written. And your slash is being written too. **_THANK YOU FOR FAVORITING ME!!_**

**cajun-beauty:** Wow...I promise I'm working on your suggestion, but it's going to be a little difficult to get everything right and keep everyone in character, so if yours comes out a little later than you'd like, I really am sorry. It's just something that's going to take some work.

**Dark Angel Kira:** For yours...Yes, the said person _will _be a jerk and cause other person to go to third person, but there will only be one relationship. I'm trying to not give away the slash pairing you suggested so it keeps people guessing

**halliwitch:** I'm sorry I confused you, but I'm glad you liked it!

**Tyler Simms 15458:** Thanks for reviewing. I've noticed a few people wanting the same pairing...Hmm...Maybe another series of oneshots??? The world may never know. -evil laugh-

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**A/N:** I've gotten a flood of requests and to keep people from being confused, this is how things will work. The requested slash probably won't be coming out every week 'cause I can be a bit of a perfectionist sometimes. If the title of the chapter is "Requested Slash" then that's what it is. If I happen to get a scenario request, then the title will still be "Requested Slash", even if the pairing is still ReidxTyler. Now, please read, enjoy and review.

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****

**Black Orchid**

Raindrops spattered against the window like so many kamikaze pilots, with the lightning for their landing lights and the thunder playing like a sonic boom. Tyler stared out the window of his bedroom, blue eyes blank and unseeing. His laptop sat open, on and neglected on his desk across the room. He'd left his instant messenger on with just a 'BRB' and no intention of returning. His mind saw only his conversation with Reid, the words burned into his eyelids.

**playboy669:** Something wrong Tyler? You seem a little off...

**daydreemer:** _-sigh- Just thinking is all._

**playboy669: **Thinking about what?

**daydreemer: **_How fucking lucky you are._

**playboy669: **How am I luckier than you?

**daydreemer: **_You've got girls hanging all over you, girls that would kill their sisters if it got them a date with you. What do _I_ have?_

**playboy669: **...A good personality.

**daydreemer: **_Very fucking funny._

**playboy669: **Hold on a sec. Amber's calling.

**daydreemer: **_I'm not who you think I am. I'm a liar and a fake._

**playboy669: **Tyler, are you sure you're okay?

**daydreemer: **_Brb._

"I'm not okay. I love you and you don't see me." Tyler whispered to himself as tears stung his eyes.

He let the drops of saline roll down his face, not bothering to swat them away.

_**Have you ever been so lonely,**_

_**There's no one there to hold?**_

_**Pull me in or disown me,**_

_**And then climb inside.**_

_**My arms are open wide,**_

_**Have a look inside.**_

_**It is not that I am scared to learn**_

_**Just why I'm empty inside.**_

_**Hold my hand or show some concern,**_

_**If I live or die.**_

_**My eyes are open wide.**_

_**Help me look inside.**_

Tyler looked blankly at the computer screen as it filled with Reid still asking if he was okay.

"Too little, too late." Tyler laughed bitterly.

He sat down at the desk and pulled up his Away Message list and added a new one.

_'Little known facts about Tyler Eric Simms and his outlook..._

_Behind my smile is everything you'll never understand..._

_I like walking in the rain because no one knows I'm crying..._

_It was my own fault. I deluded myself into thinking that I might ever mean something to you..._

_For all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, "It might have been"..._

_If tears made you pretty, I'd be the prettiest boy alive..._

_No matter who, a tear will always mean someone's hurt..._

_I try to laugh about it, try to cover it with lies. I try to laugh about it, hiding tears in my eyes..._

_Pain doesn't hurt when it's all you've ever felt..._

_When I said I'd _**like **_a hug, I meant I _**needed**_ one..._

_I'm not afraid of happy endings, I'm just afraid my life won't end that way..._

_Some times when I say _**"Oh I'm fine"**_I want someone to look me in the eyes and say, _**"Tell me the truth"**...

_When you asked me what was wrong, I said _**"Nothing"**. _When you walked away I whispered _**"Everything"**...

_And though the fall kills me, for a moment I will fly...'_

Tyler posted the new message and waited as Reid's flow of comments stopped.

**playboy669: **You think I'm so tough...I just never let you see me cry...

Tyler ignored him again.

_**I hear the water drip from the faucet,**_

_**It's sweetly falling in tune.**_

_**I'm gently closing the closet.**_

_**I fall to the floor,**_

_**And crawl to my room.**_

_**The thought of ending it soon...**_

_**Just let me sleep in my room.**_

Tyler laughed as his phone started ringing. He laughed harder, a cold, bitter, mirthless laugh, as he heard Reid's almost frantic voice on the answering machine telling him to pick up the phone. The laughs turned to sobs when the calls starting coming back to back and the computer screen filled with messages.

He sat at his desk and started to cover a sheet of paper with his elegant and curving script. It wasn't so much a will as it was an apology. He signed it "Tyler Eric Simms" and then put a single line through his last name. Under that, in tiny letters, he wrote "Death for my Dishonor".

Reid's voice came across the answering machine again and this time Reid was saying he was on his way over to the Simms house.

"Go ahead and come over. You can't stop me..." Tyler whispered.

"Just pick up the phone Tyler. Pick up the damn phone and tell me you're okay!" It almost sounded like Reid was crying.

"You never seemed to care before." Tyler continued whispering.

Tyler knew that there was only one way to test if Reid actually cared about him.

"To die slowly." Tyler sobbed.

He sat in the middle of his bed, a bottle of his mom's expired sleeping pills emptied before him and a razorblade in his right hand. He felt like Alice in his suicidal Wonderland. The blue and white pills were screaming "Eat Me" and the razor was whispering "Use Me".

He heard Reid's car pull up in the driveway and he cried harder.

_**Hear me cry! Cry! Cry!**_

_**I hear a knock at the front door.**_

_**Don't come in!**_

_**I try to look at you**_

_**But I can't stop shaking.**_

_**Leave me alone. Just go away.**_

_**Mother I'm so scared.**_

He felt a twinge as Reid Used to unlock the front door and heard the blond frantically screaming his name as he bounded up the stairs. Tyler pressed the razor to his wrist and whimpered as the cold metal touched his skin. He barely broke the surface and stared in morbid facination as tiny garnet blood droplets rushed to freedom and started collecting. He heard the door open and he continued staring at his wrist, tears still flowing down his face.

"Jesus Christ!" He heard Reid.

He listened to the thousand little clatters as Reid swept the pills off the bed and onto the wood floor. Reid sat next to him and shook his shoulders, ordering the smaller boy to look at him.

"Tell me you hate me Reid. Just tell me you hate me so I can end this and I won't have to hurt anymore." Tyler's voice quivered when he finally met Reid's eyes.

"I-I...I can't say that Ty."

"You've been saying it all along, you just haven't heard yourself." Tyler whispered.

"T-Tyler...No...I...I love you..."

"If you loved me, you would've seen this coming."

"I didn't see it coming because I was trying to ignore you."

"Isn't that fucking comforting." Tyler laughed bitterly.

"You know how my dad is...if he knew I liked...If...If he knew I'm bi and I loved you like I do...I'd get disowned." Reid said softly.

Tyler stared into Reid's pain-filled blue eyes and sobbed, crying harder than he'd ever cried before. He heard the razorblade clang on the floor as Reid tossed it away and he cried.

_**Empty bed and all the sheets are gone,**_

_**They're wrapped around me and you.**_

_**All is quiet but the drop of a gun.**_

_**I want to belong...to someone...**_

_**But maybe life's not for everyone.**_


	14. 24

**raven2545:** I like making people cry when that's my intention...Like that guy I broke up with, or the story about Tyler being suicidal.

**Cutiepie2191:** Yeah. Most times sad little 'shots like that are made better by a hint of fluffiness.

**cajun-beauty:** Well, I kinda like doing the unexpected. Don't be surprised if I suddenly do one where all of the characters are OOC cause I suddenly hate how they are in the movie. Like when people say things like "Tyler can't be a dominant personality". My response to that is "...Why?" The movie doesn't really have a lot of Tyler so saying "He doesn't talk much" isn't an excuse. A lot of their personalities are inferred. Ohhhh. I used a big word there! XD Thanks for the review.

**hells1bell:** As long as people keep reading and reviewing, I'll keep writing. Thanks for favoriting me too!!!

**sparkely-tangerine:** Yeah. I was feeling a little angsty myself that day, so the feelings just sort of bled into the story. (No pun intended) Oh, and your slash, I'm still working on. I don't think it's right yet so I'm posting one of my other pairings I kept on reserve for moments like this.

**Dark Angel Kira:** I hope the tears didn't land on your keyboard and kill your computer! Every now and then cliches are wonderful little story helpers. Besides, what better way to end such an unexpected one-shot than with slightly cheesy words?

**JessicaRose:** Um...If you consider Caleb and Chase your boys...Then this chapter...um...Yeah...But there there will most definately be some happy times ReidXTyler stuff coming soon!

**SnowWhiteFairy:** Yay angst! It got me another Favorite!! Thanks for that. Reviews and favorites are like crack to me!

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**A/N:** This is ChaseXCaleb slash 'cause I was bored and I'm still trying to work on those requests 'cause I just don't think they're quite ready yet. Please enjoy. Feel free to flame, review in proper English, favorite me, put me on story alert, grab some popcorn, cry...Whatever...But seriously...Reviews would be da shit.

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_**Been given 24 hours to tie up loose ends,**_

_**To make amends.**_

_**His eyes said it all,**_

_**I started to fall**_

_**And the silence deafened.**_

_**Head spinning 'round,**_

_**No time to sit down.**_

_**Just wanted to run and run and run.**_

_**Be careful they say,**_

_**Don't wish life away,**_

_**Now I've one day.**_

_**And I can't believe how I've been wasting my time.**_

"I'm sorry, Mr. Collins, but the prognosis remains. At the most you have another day to live. The tumor has grown too large too fast for anything to be done. It's reached the bloodstream and there's nothing we can do at this point. Go home and make the best of this last day." The doctor's voice was distant and professional.

"I'll try." Chase said softly.

He had been hoping the cancer would slow down when he Used to try to heal himself. Instead he was weakened further and the growth sped up until he was left with an inoperable brain tumor. He hadn't wanted to tell Caleb he was sick. Now he had to tell his lover he was dying. He had 24 hours to do as much as he could.

_**In 24 hours they'll be **_

_**Laying flowers on my life.**_

_**It's over tonight.**_

_**I'm not messing,**_

_**No I need your blessing**_

_**And your promise to live free.**_

_**Please do it for me.**_

"C-Caleb. I have some bad news." He could feel the tears stinging his eyes as the worry rushed over Caleb.

"What is it?" Caleb planted a comforting hand on Chase's shoulder.

"I went to the doctor and he said I've got 24 hours at most left to live." He dropped his head as the tears began to fall.

"Please tell me this is some sick joke. Chase, it can't be true!" Caleb shook his head violently and his hand dropped.

"I'm sorry."

"How long have you been sick?" Caleb asked. Chase finally met the other boy's gaze.

"I've had cancer for almost four years now. Went into remission twice, but it kept coming back. The chemo clearly wasn't working so I tried Using to make it go away. It just made me weaker and the growth sped up." Chase's voice cracked and tears continued leaking from his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Caleb seemed hurt.

"Because I was sure I would go into remission again and it would be gone for good this time."

"They're sure there's nothing that can be done?" Caleb searched his boyfriend's eyes for some spark of hope.

"The toxins are in my blood. They can't do anything but tell me to make the best of my time." Chase said bitterly.

"Then what do you want to do?"

"Make the best of this before time runs out."

_**Is there a Heaven, a Hell**_

_**And when I come back, who can tell**_

_**That now I can see**_

_**What matters to me,**_

_**It's as clear as crystal.**_

_**The places I've been,**_

_**The people I've seen,**_

_**The plans I made**_

_**Start to fade.**_

_**The sun's setting cold,**_

_**Thought I would grow old.**_

_**Wasn't to be.**_

_**And I can't believe how I've been wasting my time.**_

That day the two of them took a trip to Baltimore to visit Kings Dominion(1) and just enjoy eachother's company.

"You sure you feel up to all this?" Caleb seemed skeptical.

"I'm sure. I wanna have some fun before I keel over. Let's get all the roller coasters in before we leave." Chase said.

Caleb felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. There was too much life in Chase for him to be dying. He had just realized that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with someone that everyone else thought was evil, wicked and undeserving of a second chance. And there was nothing he could do to save him.

"Come on Caleb!" Chase laughed.

Caleb had no idea how Chase could be so upbeat when he had only a day to live. The thought of having to bury Chase in just a few days was too much. The only thing he could do was make Chase's last day the best he could. It was bad enough he was losing the love of his life, what made it worse was that he wasn't sure Chase knew how much he was needed.

"Tell me again how you got me outside in this cold weather to ride a coaster?" Caleb laughed.

"Because no one's here and I don't have to waste my time waiting. Don't have much time left." Chase said bitterly.

"Don't talk like that. The doctors could be wrong."

"There's always the chance." Chase agreed.

_**In eighteen hours they'll be **_

_**Laying flowers on my life.**_

_**It's over tonight.  
I'm not messing,**_

_**No I need your blessing**_

_**And your promise to live free,**_

_**Please do it for me.**_

_**I'm not alone, I sense it, I sense it.**_

_**All that I said, I meant it, I meant it.**_

_**And I can't believe how much I've wasted my time.**_

"There's something I've been wanting to give you but never had a chance to..." Chase trailed off.

"What?"

Chase reached for the old jewlery box that was tucked away in the top of the closet and pulled it down, his fingers leaving streaks in the thick dust. He pulled back the lid and the shine of gold exploded from the slightly dull box. Chase seemed uninterested in the rings and necklaces and bracelets and other trinkets that shone so bright. He grasped two small ribbons the same color of the velvet the jewlery rested on and lifted it up, revealing a false bottom. In the bottom was a ring. It was a silver band with rubies and saphires wrapping around it.

"Wow..." Caleb breathed.

"It was my mom's engagement ring." Chase said before coughing violently.

"Chase? Chase, what's wrong?" Caleb asked when he saw his lover staring at his hand.

Caleb grabbed his hand and flipped it towards him. Chase's palm was coated with blood, the sticky liquid dusting his hand.

"Oh God." Caleb breathed.

"It's nothing. Doc said that would happen. Jesus H. Christ. I'm really dying." Chase collapsed onto his bed.

"Don't talk that way." Caleb felt himself falling apart.

Chase shook it off and wiped his hand on the side of his jeans.

"Take this, please? For me, just take it." Chase begged.

"I'll wear it until I can see you again."

_**In thirteen hours they'll be**_

_**Laying flowers on my life.**_

_**It's over tonight.**_

_**I'm not messing,**_

_**No I need your blessing**_

_**And your promise to live free.**_

_**Please do it for me.**_

_**In just eight hours they'll be**_

_**Laying flowers on my life.**_

_**It's over tonight.  
I'm not messing,**_

_**No I need your blessing **_

_**And your promise to live free.**_

_**Please do it for me.**_

Caleb looked at the shell of what used to be such a strong person. He felt tears sting his eyes as he saw Chase laying so fragile on the hospital bed with so many tubes and IV's keeping him alive for the moment.

"Don't cry." Chase croaked.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you."

"It's my own damn fault. I knew Using would eventually kill me. Just never though it'd happen this damn fast." Chase laughed a moment before he began coughing violently, blood filling his lungs.

Tears sliding from his eyes, Caleb wiped the blood away from his lover's face. Chase grabbed his wrist and kept Caleb's warm hand to his now cold face.

"You are the best thing to ever happen to me. If I had the choice of not meeting you or dying in more pain than this, I'd say fuck it and die twice." Chase smiled a bit.

"I'd do the same for you many times over." Caleb smiled through his tears.

"Don't cry over me. Know that I love you and I'll be watching you." Chase felt himself begin to cry.

"I love you too." Caleb gave Chase a gentle kiss.

"You're the only thing that ever mattered to me." Chase said softly.

Chase let go of Caleb's hand and closed his eyes. Caleb grew worried as the beeps coming from the heart rate monitor began changing.

"Chase? Chase!"

The boy's body began convulse and he went rigid and the room was filled with a solid beep.

"We've got a Code Blue(2) in room 311!" A nurse shouted from down the hall.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to leave." A nurse gently pushed Caleb from the room.

"I need to be in there with him!" Caleb cried as he was pushed from the room.

"Patient is a DNR(3)." One of the nurses said to another.

"Chase..." Caleb broke down and began sobbing.

_**In just one hour they'll be **_

_**Laying flowers on my life,**_

_**It's over tonight.**_

_**I'm not messing,**_

_**No I need your blessing**_

_**And your promise to live free.**_

* * *

(1) Kings Dominion is a theme park kinda like Disney, only in Maryland. I went there when I was little a couple times. 

(2) Code Blue is also known as a Full Code or just a Code. It means your heart has stopped and you're not breathing.

(3) DNR is a Do Not Resecutate order. It means if you Code, they don't give you CPR or drugs to restart your system. There are variations of the DNR, things like "No Chest Compressions" or "No Drugs" but this one is a total DNR.


	15. What I Really Want

**A/N: **I'd like to start off by saying thanks for being patient with me about not updating like, ever anymore. I know you guys are all hungry for more slash, but I've been swamped lately. I got talked into joining the Academic Team for ROTC and studying for that takes up all my time, I'm in honors classes that are killing me with homework, I'm trying to keep a steady job and all this other b/s and it's taking a lot out of me. I've been meaning to update weekly like I have been for the past few weeks, but ROTC is taking up a lot of my time. Normally I'd take the time to talk to my reviewers individually, but I'm supposed to be studying SAT trigonometry for the next ROTC field meet. But thank you for still reviewing and reading and being patient. **_LOVE TO ALL OF YOOOOUUUUU!!!_** By the way, this one is really sad.

* * *

"Where the hell is he?" Reid growled as he looked at the clock.

He jumped a bit when lightning struck near the house and the thunder exploded outside the window. He looked out the window and the next lightning flash showed him something infinately more terrifying than a storm.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Reid demanded.

Tyler turned to him, soaked and dripping. Tyler didn't say anything.

"You're going to get yourself killed!"

Tyler remained silent and turned his face back to the angry clouds.

"What's wrong with you?"

Tyler's eyes fluttered closed and he didn't seem to even notice Reid near him. Reid placed a hand on Tyler's shoulder and Tyler finally looked him in the eyes. Reid noticed that Tyler had been crying.

"What's wrong?" Reid's foice finally softened.

"I've finally realized what I want and I can never have it." Tyler's voice cracked.

"You can have anything in the world." Reid was confused.

"I want kids, Reid. Kids. A son of my own."

"We can adopt or do the surrogate mothers."

"You don't understand Reid."

"Then make me!" Reid tried to make himself heard over the storm.

"It's not the same! I want the woman carrying my child to be someone I love! I can't love a woman as much as I love you! Don't you get it? Even if I do have a son, it's not the same." Tyler shook his head.

Reid was at a loss for words. Reid placed a hand on Tyler's shoulder. Tyler started crying silently, looking again to the sky, letting his tears mix with the rain.

"Some things just aren't possible." Tyler whispered, words lost in the howling wind and pounding rain.

* * *

**A/N:** I know this one was kinda emo, but it was inspired by something that I couldn't get out of my head. This is for Jesse Matheson. His blog on YouTube, "Ask a Gay/Emo/Australian Guy" can be extremely humerous. Until it came to "How Do You Deal With Depression". What he said made me cry. What he said made my best friend cry. For any of you that may have seen it, you understand. 


	16. Christmas Special

**A/N:** I know I got a lot of reviews from a lot of people since my last update, but as of right now it's like...10:30 and I was told to go to bed at... 9:30, so you can see why I'm worried about getting caught. Thank you for all of your reviews, putting me on alert, favoriting me, yadda yadda yadda, I know you only love me for my body...Slash! I mean slash! Anyways, **_MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

* * *

_**

Tyler chewed on the inside of his mouth subconciously, knowing it was a habit that irritated Reid to no end.

"Hurting yourself is not healthy behavior." He once said seriously.

Tyler couldn't help it. He'd chewed his lip when he was stressed or nervous since he could remember. He was pretty sure it was since he'd had teeth, the habit was so ingrained.

As for the cause of his stress...Well he only had one day to Christmas and he still had nothing for Reid. But what the hell are you supposed to buy for the boyfriend that seems to have everything he wants?

He was about to resort to slamming his head on his desk when he remembered something Reid said he'd wanted, after a bit of prying on Tyler's part and a wicked red blush on Reid's part. Tyler smiled and congratulated himself as he climed into his over-sized vehicle and slowly drove away from his home.

_**Santa is coming tonight**_

_**And I want a car, and I want a life**_

_**And I want a first class trip to Hawaii.**_

_**I want a lifetime supply**_

_**Of Skittles and Slurpies and Eskimo Pies**_

_**I want a DVD,**_

_**A big screen TV.**_

_**Just bring me things that I don't need.**_

Tyler scanned the massive store, not seeing what he was looking for.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" A girl with slightly crooked teeth and blindingly red hair asked.

"I'm looking for something Egyptian. What do you have in that department, Alice?" Tyler asked her, taking note of her nametag.

"I think I know what you're looking for." She smiled.

"And it comes with all the paperwork, right?" Tyler asked a few minutes later.

"Of course. Everything here is certified by one group or another." Alice assured him.

"Are there any suggestions as to what might make this thing last a little longer?" Tyler asked, eyes roaming the store.

"If you'll follow me..." She smiled again.

_**'Cause now it's Christmas**_

_**And I want everything**_

_**I just can't wait.**_

_**Christmas**_

_**So don't stop spending**_

_**I want a million gifts that's right.**_

_**Don't forget my Christmas list tonight.**_

_**'Cause now it's Christmas**_

Halfway across town, Reid was looking for the perfect gift for Tyler.

"Did he say he liked the red or the blue better?" Reid muttered to himself.

Tyler was so good to him and here he was, having a hard time remembering which color the brunette preferred.

Reid closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them and continuing his internal battle. He knew Tyler was going to freak out at the gift he was buying, but that was to be expected. Hell, their first Valentine's day together, the brunette was shocked when Reid bought him a dozen roses!

But back to the matter at hand...

Reid very nearly gave up when something else, something a little more conservative and descreete caught his eye...

_**Somebody take me away**_

_**Or give me a time machine**_

_**To take me straight to midnight,**_

_**I'll be alright.**_

Tyler carefully arranged everything, making sure it was all in place for when Reid got home so nothing would look suspicous. He closed his eyes and flopped back on to the couch. He knew Reid was going to have a very...Unique...Reaction to the whole ordeal. In order:

(1) Stare at Tyler like he had a third arm coming out of his face.

(2) Demand to know what the hell he was thinking.

(3) Ask Tyler what the hell was going through his mind at the time of the purchase.

(4) Thuroughly enjoy is gift.

Tyler smiled to himself. It wasn't very often he was able to surprise Reid. Most times _he_ was the one getting surprised. Not this time.

_'The tables have turned.'_ Tyler thought to himself with a slightly evil grin.

_**I want a girl in my bed**_

_**Who knows what to do**_

_**A PlayStation 2**_

_**I want a shopping spree**_

_**In New York City**_

_**Just bring me things that I don't need**_

Reid cursed himself softly when he pulled up to Tyler's house where they would be spending Christmas together for the first time.

Sure it wasn't the first Christmas that they'd been dating for, that was three years ago! No. This was the first Christmas they'd spent _together_. Without Reid in Canada visiting relatives that hated him, without Tyler in Colorado trying to break his wrist on a snowboard so the pain in his arm would cancel the pain in his heart with Reid being half a continent away...This was a truly special Christmas for both of them.

Reid put his car in park and took a few deep breaths, trying to convince himself that he would be able to slip the gift past Tyler without the brunette knowing.

He opened the front door and was greeted by the smell of warm cookies wafting through the small house.

Caught off-guard, were we? Tyler decided to buy his own place away from his parents where he could live with Reid in peace. It was a small place, but neither of them cared. Their family mannors were too large and always left you feeling alone because you could go all day without seeing another living soul in the place.

"And what did I do to deserve the honor of you baking your famous sugar cookies?" Reid asked with a gentle smile.

"Nothing really. Christmas is tomorrow and I'm in a giving mood." Tyler replied.

Reid nodded and walked off towards the only bedroom in the house where he proceeded to hide his gift in a filing cabinet. Tyler would never know...

_**'Cause now it's Christmas**_

_**And I want everything**_

_**I just can't wait.**_

_**Christmas**_

_**So don't stop spending**_

_**I want a million gifts that's right.**_

_**Don't forget my Christmas list tonight.**_

_**'Cause now it's Christmas**_

Tyler woke up at three in the morning Christmas morning, knowing he'd have to do quite a bit of sneaking to make sure his present would acheive maximum effectiveness when it came to shock factor.

He knew exactly how to sneak away without Reid knowing. He simply put his car in neutral and let it roll down the driveway until he was sure it was far enough away for him to drive off without the blond knowing. Sure he could've Used, but Reid would've felt it and then surprise over and Tyler's left with a semi-permenant sad face.

His drive to Caleb's house was nerve wracking. He had no idea if Reid had somehow been awakened and his surprise was ruined. He found himself chewing on the inside of his mouth again.

"Thanks for holding on to all this for me. I know you didn't want to, but I had no where to hide everything without Reid noticing." Tyler admitted sheepishly.

"No problem. You would've done the same for me." Caleb smiled.

When Tyler arrived home, he had just enough time to set up his little show before Reid walked out of their bedroom.

"Merry Christmas." Tyler said softly.

Reid opened and closed his mouth soundlessly a few times before speaking gibberish.

"Tyler...What...But...And..." Reid couldn't form a coherent sentance.

"This is the only thing I could think of that you wanted." Tyler admitted.

Reid walked over to where Tyler was sitting and gently plucked the little lump of silver and black fur from the brunette's lap.

"You actually bought me an Egyptian Mau?" Reid almost squeaked.

"Yep. Her name's Isis." Tyler smiled proudly.

Sure enough, on little black collar was a gold medallion declaring her name and their address and phone number on one side and an engraving of the famous (or infamous) Egyptian goddess on the other.

"She's such a cute little kitty!" Reid cried, snuggling his face against the soft fur.

Reid carried the kitten into the bedroom, returning before Tyler's 'he-forgot-about-me' syndrome could start. Reid handed Tyler a little box and told him to open it.

"Reid...It's..." Tyler couldn't finish.

It was a silver ring with Russian letters wrapping around it. Tyler once admitted that he taught himself to read, write and speak Russian because he fell in love with the culture and country in eighth grade world history.

"_Love is not an emotion, Love is everything."_ Tyler read the words as though he lived in Russia his entire life.

"Oh God Reid. You're such a sentimental fool." Tyler said playfully as he swatted a stray tear away.

Reid gave Tyler a quick kiss before Isis tried jumping out of his arms so she could play with a shiny piece of tinsel she spotted on the ground.

_**I wish I could take this day**_

_**And make it last forever.**_

_**And no matter what I get**_

_**I want more**_

_**It's Christmas and I want everything**_

_**I just can't wait**_

_**It's Christmas and I want everything now.**_

_**Christmas**_

_**And I want everything**_

_**I just can't wait**_

_**Christmas**_

_**So don't stop spending, I**_

_**Want a million gifts**_

_**That's right**_

_**And I can't wait til midnight**_

_**Don't forget my Christmas list tonight**_

_**'Cause now it's Christmas...**_

Reid smiled at his new happy family, Tyler teasing the kitten with a mouse toy, the cat eagerly chasing the purple shape, and he knew that this would be his favorite Christmas, even if he _was_ expecting more than one gift from Tyler...But he had the most loving guy anyone could ask for and they had their baby, Isis, and that was all they needed.

"God bless us, every one." Reid said in his "Little Timmy Down The Street" voice.

"Well if God doesn't bless us, I don't know who will." Tyler laughed.

Reid chuckled along with him and decided spending Christmas day with Tyler and Isis was plenty.


	17. No Fear

**A/N: **This song is called "No Fear" and is by The Rasmus. Please note that the original version says "Girl" where there are little slashes around where I have "Boy". I did this simply to make the song fit better. Chase's POV. CalebxChase if you look. And one more thing **_IF YOU SUBMITTED AN IDEA FOR A STORY THAT I HAVEN'T ALREADY PUBLISHED, PLEASE RESEND ME YOUR REQUEST_**. I've lost a lot of stuff cause my stupid email deleted messages I didn't want deleted and I've been really busy and I'm soooo sorry this has taken so long and I think this chapter is crap but I have to post something because I feel bad for not having updated lately. There. I'm better. Please enjoy.

* * *

I'm going crazy, I'm losing myself and I can't stop it. It's like I'm falling down some cliff and I can't do anything but fall faster. This Power, this curse of mine, it's like the worst of addictions. There are rehab programs for people on drugs, AA for those who drink their problems away. There is _no_ program for what I'm going through. There is nothing to help me. At least lucky little Danvers has his little group of friends to keep his head level. But what do I have but an abundance of power that's killing me so damn slowly?

_**/Boy\**_

_**You lived your life like a sleeping swan.**_

_**Your time has come**_

_**To go deeper.**_

_**/Boy\**_

_**Your final journey has just begun.**_

_**Your destiny chose the reaper.**_

I'm scared of dying, and I'm sure Caleb is just as scared. But he would die for his friends and that shows. It's quite noble of him. But nobility doesn't count in life. The only thing that it will count for is when his name is written in the Book of Damnation as the last Danvers, the one that gave up his life for the preservation of the three remaining lines. Four, if you count my line. The one that's not supposed to exist. I'm the black sheep of their little Covenant. Because I'm too scared of dying to let it happen to me anytime soon.

_**No fear.**_

_**Destination darkness.**_

_**No fear.**_

_**Destination darkness.**_

_**/Boy\**_

_**The rain falls from the northern skies**_

_**Like poisoned knives**_

_**With no mercy.**_

I always knew I would die eventually. I never wanted to go this soon, or like this. Looking back, if I had just approached Caleb in the beginning and told him who I was and what my problem was, he probably would have found a way to help me. But no. Here I am, figting this...this...this fucking saint! Fighting him in the pounding rain in what's left of the barn where the Putnam legacy ended and the Pope legacy began. The barn where John Putnam nearly died after securing his legacy in one Hagan Pope. I have nothing left to give. I just want this to end. I can feel myself growing weaker by the minute. It doesn't help any that I Used so much on that Parry boy. I probably over-did it, but there's no going back. I'm going to die here. There is no other way for this to end. I'm sorry for all I've done.

_**/Boy\**_

_**Close your eyes one more time.**_

_**Sleepless nights**_

_**From here to eternity.**_

_**No fear.**_

_**Destination Darkness.**_

_**No fear.**_

_**Destination Darkness.**_

My legacy, the only one to be remembered, will be one of evil. One of hatred. There's only one person now that will know what I'm going through, won't you Caleb? I guess that for now, I can lurk in the darkness and watch you without fear of the death that's already come.

* * *

**A/N:** Like I said, I'm really sorry this chapter is crap, but I'm sooooo busy again. I know I keep blaming ROTC, but we found out last month that we're going to the Navy National Competition in Pensacola, Florida, so the entire month's been spend preparing for that. The month before that was spent preparing for the State Competition. Sorry about this guys. Please review and let me know that I'm not all alone!! Loves to my readers and more loves to the reviewers!


	18. Kill Shot

**A/N:** I'm sorry for the lack of updating-ness that's been going around and I know you guys are feeling really unloved by me, but it's been real hectic. The love of my life is going off to join the Army, my best friend is going to college on a Navy scholarship, a "brother" that's doing the same, and a really close friend following suit. Add to that anguish the graduation of 14 other friends, my birthday and several end of the year parties, and I don't have time to breathe any more. I hope you enjoy this crap-sack, and I really, really, really hope you review. Loves. Oh, and I made up the Xbox live profile names, I don't own The Covenant, the Halo family of games (Bungie beat me to the rights), Xbox (Microsoft), or Xbox live (more shit from Microsoft, lol). Kay thanks!

* * *

"No! Damnit! For the love of God, why?" Reid yelled.

Tyler rolled his eyes and stuck his head into the livingroom of his oversized and empty house.

"Could you not yell at the TV? Please? It's not like the characters can hear you." Tyler pointed out.

"Not like the characters can hear you." Reid mocked.

Tyler rolled his eyes again and flopped onto the couch that Reid had his back pressed against. He made himself comfortable behind the blond with a slice of pizza in one hand, and Red Bull in the other.

"You don't even play the game right." Tyler muttered.

"Oh, that's just...That's a very insightful comment coming from the guy who I've never seen play Halo seriously before. Thank you for that little pat on the back." Reid snapped.

"Don't be rude. Start up live, you sign in under your profile, I'll sign in under mine, and we'll see who does better."

Reid handed Tyler the spare 360 controller and muttered under his breath about how pointless the game was going to be as they hooked up their headsets.

"What do you want to play?" Reid asked.

"Swat. NoScope." Tyler smiled.

"Level?"

"Anything but Snowbound." The brunette groaned.

No shields to protect them, no scopes were allowed to help them aim, it was a pure free-for-all. The match lasted almost twenty minutes.

"Let's see, the total is 50 kills for tallymuffin, that's me, 48 kills for BleatDown, that guy that always seems to be on Live, 37 kills for FaintJob, apparently best friends with BleatDown, and then there's ScreamSilent with 10 kills. Hey, Reid, isn't your profile name ScreamSilent?" Tyler smiled.

"There _are_ things I'm better at than you." Reid huffed.

"Really? LIke what?" Tyler asked as he turned off the Xbox.

"Plenty of stuff."

"Like...What?" Tyler pressed, sitting on the couch next to the blond.

Reid arched an eyebrow at the younger teen before turning his attention back to the TV.

"What are you soooooooo good at Reid?"

"Don't push it." Reid warned with a half smile.

"Push what?"

Reid didn't answer.

"Come on. What is it you're better at?"

Reid turned to Tyler finally and pushed the younger boy down before pressing his lips against the brunette's.

"I can kiss better than you." Reid growled.

Tyler writhed beneath him.

"I can lead someone on better than you can." Reid smirked.

Tyler gasped and cried out when Reid's teeth barely scraped against his neck.

"And I'm pretty sure I'm better at finding ways to turn you on than anyone else."

Reid murmered the words against the smooth skin of Tyler's neck and the brunette clawed at his partner's light hair, clawed at anything that would keep him anchored to solid ground.

"Oh fuck." Tyler groaned as he felt Reid's skilled hands trace delicate patterns on his chest and stomach.

"I'm pretty sure I'm better at that too." Reid smirked.

"Prove it to me, Reid. Show me how amazing you are." Tyler couldn't breathe.

"After all the times you killed me? I think it's time to let you die a little." Reid smiled.

"What do you mean by that?"

Reid sat up, got off the brunette, and turned the 360 back on.

"What?" Tyler cried.

"What's wrong?" Reid asked, selecting his campaign in progress.

"You're going to start that and then leave me with nothing?"

"I'm better than you at a lot of things. I mean, that little demonstration proves I'm better at getting revenge too."

Tyler sat up, hair ruffled, lips slightly swollen, eyes glassy.

"Halo has ruined my life." He murmered dazedly as he rose from the couch.

Reid smiled and decided he'd only play Halo for a moment or two before he went to be Tyler's saving grace.

"But why wait that long?" Reid asked himself.

_"Scream, you there? Scream? Come on man! You're an easy kill now! At least have the courtesey to sign off Live before you run off!" _An exasperated voice called from the abandoned headset on the couch.

Reid didn't care. There were things worse than having a community of Xbox nerds hate you.


	19. Home Alone

**A/N:** I am soooooo sorry for not updating lately. My muses...well...Let's just say my muses took a vacation without notice and they've not been in touch recently. _**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!!**_ I'm currently looking for a beta for my next project. I know I've been promising a Covenant story for a really long time now, but it's in the works. But, as usual, I'm not satisfied. I'm open to all betareaders, whether they have a beta profile or not. Though please keep in mind that your chances of being selected as my beta will increase if you have at least a little story posted on a site. I'd love to hear from any and everyone. Loves!!

* * *

"Bill, bill, trash, coupons, bill..." Tyler murmured as he walked away from the mailbox.

"Hello." He looked down at the envelope in his hands and turned it over and over.

He walked into the large mansion that was constantly empty. He dropped the mail on the table and took only the one envelope with him. He flopped on his bed and tore the envelope open to reveal a fancy type of paper.

_Mrs. Heather Simms, it has come to the attention of Social Services that there have been several complaints of your fifteen-year-old son being left home alone for extensive periods of time. We are afraid that if another complaint is made, there will be an investigation started and if these allegations are proved true, it may be possible for you to lose custody of your son, Tyler. It is not a course of action we are fond of taking, but under certain circumstances, it is necessary. We'd appreciate a letter sent to our offices or a phone call to begin sorting this matter out._

"Oh shit." The words tumbled from Tyler's lips.

He re-read the letter and his mind raced for what he should do. He knew there was no way his mother would sent a letter or make a call. She was in the Swiss Alps somewhere with no phone and no internet, completely cut off from the rest of the world. There was no way for him to get in touch with her and he knew that if Social Services wasn't contacted, he'd be put into a foster home.

There was a knock at the door and he went to answer it, still re-reading the letter.

"Hey Baby Boy." It was Reid who entered with a ruffle of Tyler's hair.

Tyler didn't answer and instead kept his eyes glued to the paper, desperately trying to find a way out of it.

"Ty, what's wrong?" Reid asked.

"Holy shit." He almost whispered in response.

"What? Tyler, what is it?"

When Reid didn't get an answer, he gently took the paper from Tyler's hands and read it.

"Tyler...Just how long _has_ your mom been gone?" Reid asked gently.

"Since the middle of first quarter." Tyler whispered.

"Ty, it's coming to the end of _third_ quarter. She's been gone for the equivalent of a semester! Why didn't you tell me?" Reid seemed more hurt than angry.

"Probably 'cause she does this all the time." Tyler shrugged.

"Ty...Come on. You could've stayed with me."

"And be a burden for a semester? I'll pass."

"Tyler, when are you ever a burden?"

Tyler didn't answer. He instead wandered into the living room and dropped to the couch, holding his head in his hands. Reid sat next to him and wrapped one arm around Tyler's shoulders and pulled him closer.

"Baby, you know you could've stayed with me." Reid whispered.

Tyler looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes.

"How am I supposed to explain this away?" Tyler asked, voice cracking.

"My mom'll help. You know Mom, she'll go up there and say you've been staying with us." Reid said suddenly.

"You...You'd do that for me?"

"Tyler, I love you. I'd do anything and everything for you. And that includes spending my day in a box full of scorpions." Reid shuddered at the thought.

Tyler smiled.

"But of course you'll have to stay with me and my mom until your mom gets back from where ever it is that she is." Reid pointed out.

"You...You think they'll believe her? Your mom I mean." Tyler asked.

"I think they will. Our parents are the perfect parents, remember?" Reid laughed.

"Thanks."

Reid kissed the top of Tyler's head and smiled.

* * *

**A/N:** And again, please give me a beta. Please? The boys are suffering from lack of publishedness! I've gotten one or two offers, but I like to weigh my options before deciding.

Reid: You just have commitment issues.

KK: Shut up you! I'm trying to get your story out there!! -throws shoe- So like I was saying, they're suffering. Beta please!!


	20. Three Cheers for Drunks

**A/N:** I am so sorry for not updating like I've been promising. First my internet craps out for the longest time and then my house floods and I lose all of my slash and yaoi I was working on. I'm having to start from scratch. _And_ I'm having to be secretive cos Mum and Dad don't exactly approve of the whole "gay" thing and my computer is finger print access and Dad made a point of programming his fingerprint in. Grr. Whatever. I through this fic together at the last second, just to give you guys something to look at while I try to peice my slash collection back together. :-( Oh, and...**_PLEASE REVIEW!! I FEEL SO NEGLECTED!! NO ONE LOVES THE STRUGGLING AUTHOR!! -cries-_** Okay. I'm done :-)

* * *

"One. Just one. That's all I want is one." Reid begged.

"No, Reid. I'm not going to." Tyler huffed.

"You're acting like it's going to kill you."

"Because this time it probably will."

"Come on, Ty. Last time wasn't all that bad. One little shot of vodka isn't gonna kill you."

"You're right. One little shot of vodka didn't kill me last time. It was the fifth shot that made me stand up on the bar and start singing "Don't You Forget About Me" while downing vodka shots number six, seven and eight."

"But you were so good at singing!"

"Reid. Do you think I'm retarded or something? Have you seen the youtube video? Oh wait, that's right. You helped Meg edit the tape together to cut out the scene where I kissed you in a drunken stupor. All three times."

Reid said nothing for a long moment.

"Are you sure you don't want the shot?" He finally asked.

With an irritated growl, Tyler jerked the glass from his blond lover and downed the shot. Five minutes later, Reid pushed him into shot number two. Tyler ordered shot three himself, as well as number four and five.

"Nicky, I gotta borrow your sound system for a second." Tyler slurred.

Nicky raised one eyebrow before glancing to Reid. The blond shrugged. Nicky shrugged too and watched what Tyler did to the sound system. After a few minutes of tangling wires and giggling, he apparently accomplished his task and shakily climbed on top of the bar. Once he was on his elevated vantage point, he heard a few whistles and cat-calls.

"Yeah, yeah. I know that last time I entertrai...entertained yous guys by singing some song from tha 80s. Well I gots a song that's a little more modern. I give to you, "Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss Uhn Tiss" by the Bloodhound Gang. And if you don't like it, fuck you!" Tyler slurred with a grin.

He pushed play on his iPod and stumbled off the bar. Five minutes later when the song finally ended and Reid was dragging the brunette out of the bar, Tyler seemed to have a brief moment of clarity in the midst of his drunkeness.

"You fucker. You knew I'd give in for numbers one and two and then carry on. If I wake up tomorrow and see I'm on youtube dancing drunk again, Ima kill you."

Reid laughed. No. There wouldn't be a drunken Tyler dancing on youtube in the morning. One of those was enough. Instead, there would be a drunken Chase and Caleb griding in a dark corner to a Bloodhound Gang song.

"Three cheers for drunks." Reid giggled.

* * *

**A/N:** I apologize again. I really wanted to update and I had like, 85 pages of a full-lenght fic I was working on and it was all lost in the flood. Add to that the Drarry slash I was working on and the two original yaoi I was planning on postion to fictionpress and I'm sooooo far behind where I want to be right now. Oh well. I hope you guys understand. Please review!


	21. Shut Me Up

**A/N:** I am so sorry for not posting on this sooner. This is a songfic set to "Shut Me Up" by Mindless Self Indulgance. I'm not usually a huge fan of MSI, but I thought this song would go rather well with a slash. FOR BEST RESULTS, LISTEN TO THE SONG WHILE READING. It can be found on youtube. I say this because reading the lyrics doesn't really convey how much the song makes me want to party XD. Anyways, be advised: **There is bad, bad language in this chapter. This is definitely a lime. **I had to resist the urge to make it a lemon. PLEASE REVIEW! THEY MAKE ME HAPPY AND KEEP ME WRITING!!!!

* * *

The club seemed unnaturally loud, the pounding music seeming to pour from everything in the building. Tyler carefully weaved his way through the thrashing and swaying people, eyes carefully scanning the masses. His eyes landed on a familiar shape and he pushed through the throbbing wall of people to get to a booth in a secluded corner. He slid onto the bench and threw his arms around the slim blond. Reid smirked at him and Tyler felt his cheeks flush. That particular smirk meant only one thing: Trouble. Capitalized and everything.

**_The bass, the rock,  
The mic, the treble.  
I like my coffee black,  
Just like my metal.  
The bass, the rock,  
The mic, the treble.  
I like my coffee black,  
Just like my metal._**

Reid pushed Tyler off the bench and drug the brunette out into the middle of the dancing people. Tyler could tell by the gleam in Reid's eyes that they weren't leaving the club until Tyler danced with him. Tyler sighed and gave in, pressing himself close to Reid and rocking in time with the music. The song changed and the tune became more heated and frantic. Tyler let the music move him, listening only to the sound of Reid's breathing in his ear.

"Let's go." Reid murmured several songs later.

Tyler replied with a smirk of his own and followed Reid to a dark room in the back of the club.

**_I can't wait for you to knock me up,  
In a minute, minute,  
In a fuckin' minute.  
I can't wait for you to knock me up,  
In a minute, minute,  
In a second.  
I can't wait for you to shut me up  
And make me hip like bad ass.  
I can't wait for you to shut me up,  
Shut it up!_**

Tyler was pressed up against the wall and the door was kicked closed. Reid kissed Tyler frantically, like he'd never kissed the brunette before and he'd never get to again.

"What's got you in this kind of mood?" Tyler asked breathlessly.

"I got an A on my english paper." Reid shrugged before nipping at Tyler's neck.

"There's more than that." Tyler gasped.

"Of course there is. I wanted to see you a hot and sweaty mess in front of everyone."

Tyler blushed uncontrollably and kissed Reid again.

"Why couldn't this be done at Nicky's?" Tyler demanded a few minutes later.

"Because we go to Nicky's all the time."

Reid didn't allow anymore conversation. He quickly covered Tyler's lips with his own, keeping the younger teen silent and breathless. His hands slid up Tyler's shirt, fingers running lightly over the cool, pale skin. Tyler shuddered and squirmed under Reid's touch and the blond seeed to enjoy his lover's reaction.

"Goddamnit Garwin! I told you no more of this shit in the back room!" A voice cried once the door was flung open.

Tyler looked at the figure in the doorway and realized it was Sunni, the bar's owner. She seemed a bit upset that they were snogging in her storage closet.

"Take it somewhere else." She growled.

Reid huffed and grabbed Tyler by the wrist, leading him outside. Reid opened the rear door of Tyler's Hummer and pushed the brunette across the back seat and straddled his hips, closing the door behind them. Reid kissed Tyler again, this time with more passion than before. Tyler wrapped his fingers in pale blond hair and pulled his boyfriend closer.

"We can't stay here for much longer." Tyler panted.

"Why the hell not?" Reid demanded.

"Parking meter."

Reid sat up with a growl and pushed his hair out of his eyes. He crawled up to the driver's seat and st there for a moment, trying to catch his breath. Tyler climbed up and sat in the passenger seat, handing Reid the keys. Reid started the Hummer and pulled away from the club. Tyler leaned his head against the cool window and tried to force his air back to some normal semblance. It was difficult to keep it there, seeing as how Reid had to mess everything up the second they hit a stoplight.

**_The bass, the rock,  
The mic, the treble.  
I like my coffee black  
Just like my metal.  
The bass, the rock,  
The mic, the treble.  
I like my coffee black  
Just like my metal._**

Tyler found Reid had led them to another club. This one was just as busy and just as loud as the one they had left.

"Why'd you take us to another club?" Tyler demanded over the pounding music.

"Because I love it when you dance with me." Reid smiled.

Tyler once again found himself onthe dance floor with his blond lover and he found he was once again swaying and grinding to the beat, though he found he could only concentrate on Reid's steady breathing in his hear and the erratic beat of the blond's heart against his back. He leaned his head back onto Reid's shoulder and pulled the blond's head down for a quick kiss. Tyler turned and threw his ams arond Reid's shoulders, grinding against his lover. Reid wrapped his arms around Tyler's waist and pulled him closer, nipping at the younger teen's ear. Reid attempted to lead Tyler away from the dance floor.

"Not another back room. It's bad enough Sunni's mad at us." Tyler chuckled.

Reid smirked and kissed Tyler again.

"There are bathrooms here..." The blond trailed off.

"No. No quickies in the bathroom. Not after what happened last time." Tyler shuddered.

"My place then?" Reid asked.

"Why not wait a few more songs? I'm having fun." Tyler purred.

**_I can't wait for you to shut me up  
And make me hip like badass.  
I can't wait for you to shut me up.  
Shut it up!  
I can't wait for you to shut me up  
And make me hip like badass.  
I can't wait for you to shut me up.  
Shut it up!_**

The music paused for a moment, only to have the silence replaced by pounding bass and the trill of a synth. Tyler was once again pressed closely to Reid and they were once again moving in time. Reid bit hard on his lower lip as Tyler moved gracefully and sensuously.

"How am I so lucky?" Reid asked as Tyler swayed his hips.

Tyler smirked and brushed his lips against Reid's. His tongue darted out and he tasted the blood that Reid had drawn from his own lip. There was a dark glint in the brunette's eye and Reid felt a sudden pang of need. He pressed his lips against Tyler's. He noticed Tyler returned the kiss only slightly. He pulled away, confused.

"It's my turn to play coy." Tyler smirked yet again.

Reid swallowed hard as Tyler sashayed towards the bar.

"Just a Coke." He smiled flirtily at the bartender.

Reid sat down next to Tyler and rested his head on his arms. He heard Tyler ask how much and the bartender reply that it was on the house 'cause he was just that adorable. Reid lifted his head and growled lowly at the bartender. The look in his eyes screamed "mine". Tyler downed the Coke and pulled Reid away.

"Why do you have to do this to me?" Reid demanded once they were once again amongst the mass of dancing people.

"Because it's fun. And besides, I can't have you thinking you've got some kind of control over me."

Reid wrapped his arms around Tyler's waist and pulled him harshly to his chest. Tyler cried out slightly and softly.

"But you're _mine_, Baby Boy." Reid said with a sinister tint to his voice.

**_I don't find it funny right now (now)  
Just want my ma-ma-ma-money right now (now)  
I'm on my way to the party right now (right now)  
I don't find it funny right now (now)  
Just want my ma-ma-ma-money right now (now)  
I'm on my wa to the party right now (right now)_**

Tyler found himself being pulled from the club again and this time he was pushed into the passenger seat of his Hummer. Reid climbed into the driver's side and started the engine. Tyler recognized the route they were taking as the one back to Reid's house.

"Your place then?" Tyler asked.

Reid didn't answer. Tyler knew he'd upset the blond, but that wast he whole idea. Things just weren't as fun when Reid got exactly what he wanted. That bored Tyler to no end, playing the obedient boyfriend. He knew Reid would get over being angry, but not until sunrise. Tyler smirked to himself.

Reid knew what his love was playing at. Tyler knew what to do to get under his skin and goddamn it was working. Tyler was going to defy everything. It was going to make things interesting, but Reid hadn't been planning on interesting.

The door to Reid's room was kicked open. Tyler's legs were wrapped around Reid's waist and they kissed fiercely. Reid pried Tyler off of him and pushed him back onto the bed. Tyler propped himself up on his elbows and watched Reid with a hungry look in his sea-colored eyes.

Reid straddled Tyler's hips and grabbed his lover's chin tilting his head back. Reid bit down on the side of Tyler's neck, hard enough for his sharp teeth to break the skin.

"Ack! Not so hard, damnit!" Tyler cried.

Reid pressed a harsh kiss to Tyler's lips and ordered him to be quiet. Reid kissed the bleeding wound on the side of Tyler's neck and lapped at the blood. Tyler wrapped his arms around Reid's neck and whimpered and squirmed as Reid's soft tongue slid across the sensitive skin on his neck.

Tyler suddenly and quickly flipped them over so he was now straddling Reid. He grabbed Reid's arms and pinned them above the blond's head.

"Where's this dominant streak from?" Reid asked.

"The new mon does strange things to people."

"I thought that was the full moon."

"Shut the fuck up." Tyler growled.

Tyler bit down on Reid's neck with a ferocity Reid didn't know the brunette posessed. He felt Tyler's teeth puncture the fragile skin on his neck and he screamed softly. Tyler pessed blood-stained lips to Reid's with a smirk.

"Now there's no question who you belong to." Tyler smiled.

Reid flipped them again.

"You talk to damn much." The blond spat.

"Then fix the problem and stop bitching."

**_Because the break, the break, the break._**

He kissed Tyler roughly, biting at the brunette's lower lip. Tyler pulled the blond closer to him and kissed back just as roughly. There was a slight break in their heated kissing as Reid forced Tyler's shrt off. He bit down on Tyler's exposed collar bone, just hard enough to ensure a bruise.

"People are going to think you abuse me."

"Why the hell are you still talking?" Reid demanded.

"Because you're not doing a very good job of keeping me quiet." Tyler huffed.

Reid smirked. He knew how to keep Tyler quiet.

**_I can't wait for you to shut me up  
And make me hip like badass.  
I can't wait for you to shut me up.  
Shut it up!  
_**

When the sun finallyinched across the horizon, Tyler was wrapped around Reid and sleeping softly, littered with bruises, bite marks, places where Reid's nails had broken the skin, and marks from things probably left unlisted. Reid moved slightly and winced. He was covered in bitemarks and bruises as well. But the most painful part was definitely the scratch marks on his back and arms. Sure, things hadn't hurt them the night before, but the morning after was always another story. But the one thing that was always constant was that Reid would always know how to get Tyler to stop talking.

_**I can't wait for you to shut me up  
And make me hip like badass.  
I can't wait for you to shut me up.  
Shut it up!**_


	22. Jack The Ripper

**A/N:** What happened to all my readers? -sob- Anyways. This is a CxC songfic set to "Jack the Ripper" by Morrisey. (If you want to listen to the song while you read, I suggest listening to the AFI cover. I like it better and that's what I listened to while I wrote it.) It's AU. Chase and Caleb don't fight, Chase doesn't die, blah, blah. I threw this little number together in a matter of thirty minutes, so if it sucks, don't hesitate to tell me. I don't think I like this one. **_REVIEWS MAKE FOR A HAPPY AUTHOR. A HAPPY AUTHOR FINDS MORE INSPIRATION. MORE INSPIRATION MAKES FOR QUICKER UPDATES!!!!_** (usually. XD)

* * *

The rain was pounding and Chase was watching Caleb drive up to the Putnam barn. He watched the raven-haired teen search the barn. He let Caleb wonder for a little bit more before he kicked open the barn doors. Caleb whirled to face him and stopped short. _This_ is what he was supposed to be fighting? Chase didn't look like he had much fighting spirit left in him.

"Where is she? Where's Sarah?" Caleb demanded.

"The dance, where you told her to go."

"Reid and Tyler said-"

"Reid and Tyler were too busy paying attention to eachother to notice her go to the bathroom." Chase rolled his eyes.

"Are we going to do this then?"

"Do what? Fight? An hour ago I would've said yes. Now?" Chase shook his head.

Caleb regarded the other teen with suspicion.

"I envy you. You have it all. The girl, the car, the money, the house, the friends, the Power. I guess life doesn't always shuffle the deck right, does it?" Chase smiled sadly.

Chase took a few steps towards Caleb, quickly closing the gap between them. Caleb's mind flickered back to Sarah's bathroom and the kiss he hadn't been expecting. He tried pushing his toughts to something else, but with those soft lips so close to his own and so within reach...

"I take it I made an impression." Chase said tiredly.

"It doesn't have to be like this." Caleb protested.

"I know. I don't want it to be this way."

"My Power won't save you." Caleb continued.

"Damnit Caleb! I know all of this!" Chase yelled, pushing Caleb back a step.

"Then why?"

"Because I didn't know what else to do. Imagine, five years of not knowing what was going on. Wouldn't you have tried anything too?"

**_Oh you look so tired.  
Mouth slack and wide.  
Ill-housed and ill-advised.  
Your face is as mean  
As your life has been._**

Caleb led Chase to his car and started the engine.

"I'm sorry." Chase said softly.

"What?"

"For everything. I didn't intend to hurt Pogue so badly. I lost my temper. I was scared."

Something told Caleb that Chase was being honest. He wasn't sure if he should be so trusting, but chase didn' look like there ws much fight left in him. He looked like an orphan that was tired of running from his problems and was ready to lay down and let his demons catch up to him. There was something saddening about the sight of this strangely broken Chase.

"Fighting the addiction to the Power can be taken care of, just like addiction to anything else." Caleb said slowly.

"Then why didn't our fathers use it?"

"Because it hurts. Just like every other addiction. But this one hurts so much more..." Caleb trailed off.

There was something in Chase's dark eyes that made Caleb's heart skip, just a little.

"Will you help me through it?"

**_Crash into my arms.  
I want you.  
You don't agree  
But you don't refuse.  
I know you._**

Chase's room was surprisingly clean and rather empty. Chase pushed Caleb into the room and closed the door behind him. Red flags went up in Caleb's mind. He felt a small bubble of Chase's power wash over him and he was pushed back onto the bed. Chase sat on him.

"I can see why they made you their leader. You're so strong-willed, noble...It's very attractive." Chase purred.

Caleb was confused. He was half expecting an attack or maybe Chase suddenly being civil. But this was something Caleb hadn't even begun to consider.

Chase pressed his lips to Caleb's again and this time Caleb gave up rational thinking. Did it matter the Chase had hurt Pogue? If any of them had been put in that situation, they probably would have done the same thing. Well, except for Tyler, but he was the only one of them that had a good head on his shoulders.

"Do you kiss Sarah like this or are you more gentle?" Chase asked.

Caleb wrapped his fingers in Chase's hair and pulled their faces closer together.

**_And I know a place  
Where no one is likely to pass.  
You don't care if it's late.  
And you don't care if you're lost._**

"They'll start wondering where you are." Chase sighed through slightly swollen lips.

"Let them wonder." Caleb growled before kissing Chase again.

"What am I to you?"

Caleb stopped at the question. Why was he doing this? What about Sarah? And hadn't Chase threatened to kill everyone? But there was something else, some redeeming quality that Chase had. Caleb wasn't sure what it was, but he couldn't force himself to care. Caleb answered as honestly as he could.

"All that I want."

Chase's lips ghosted over Caleb's neck. He whispered things to Caleb, sweet things littered with dirty comments and promises. Caleb gasped as Chase kissed his way down the younger teen's neck.

**_And oh, you look so tired.  
But you night you presume too much.  
Too much, Too much.  
And if it's the last thing I ever do,  
I'm gonna get you._**

Caleb rolled them over and looked down at Chase. He was beautiful, but shattered inside. Caleb knew that he couldn't go any farther with Chase, not without feeling like he'd taken advantage of a boy in a delicate situation. He kissed Chase once, twice, three times, and then a fourth before laying beside the Covenant's black sheep and pulling the distressed teen into his arms.

"If your friends were to see us right now, they'd-"

"Have to deal with me." Caleb finished.

Chase rested his head on Caleb's chest and listened to the gentle thump of his heart.

"What will you tell them?"

Caleb didn't answer for a long moment. Is this what he wanted? A relationship like this with Chase? If he told the others, they'd think he was brainwashed. And what about Sarah? What would she say if he broke up with her so suddenly? And if he didn't tell the others, he'd only be hurting Chase more by treating him like some dirty secret.

"I shouldn't have brought it up. Do what you will."

"What?" Caleb asked, startled.

"Do what you will. To me. About me. With me. I'm beyond caring."

Caleb kissed the top of Chase's head and told him to stop thinking like that.

**_Crash into my arms.  
I want you.  
You don't agree  
But you don't refuse.  
I know you._**

"I'll explain to the others that you had a change of heart. They'll listen." Caleb promised.

"I doubt Pogue will ever forgive me, and Reid's too much of a hothead to believe you."

"But I trust you and Tyler trusts me. Two out of four isn't bad."

"It is when the other two are homocidal."

"I don't want to feel like I'm lying to them, Chase."

"Please? Just give them time to cool off. Then you can tell them." Chase looked pleadingly into Caleb's dark eyes.

"I don't like this." Caleb grumbled.

Chase craned his neck and kissed Caleb's jaw softly.

"You're too nice for your own good." Chase sighed.

He felt Caleb tense under him and sighed. Of course Caleb was still on edge.

"When are you going to trust me?" Chase asked sadly.

"I'm learning." Caleb replied with a slight smile and a gentle kiss.

**_Crash into my arms,  
I want you.  
You don't agree,  
But you don't refuse.  
I know you._**


	23. RUSKA

**A/N:** THIS IS A CONTINUATION OF "JACK THE RIPPER". This continuation was suggested by my beta reader for _Amnis_, Lil Kitsune-chan. Lil K suggested the continuation. so that's what I did. For a second, I considered making it a three part, but the third part doesn't seem to be working. -.-' Just my luck, right? And a word for the reviewers...

**Lil Kitsune-chan:** Thanks for the suggestion! (I was pulling my hair out looking for something to write about when I read your email. XD)

**EternityIsALongTimexx:** I tried to write "Kill Shot" so it would be easily understandable, I'm working on a second one-shot like "Conversations" and I sit around and read slash all day on the weekends and when I'm sick too. Hell, today, I discovered "Gravitation" (one of my fave Yaoi mangas) had the anime on demand for free. =D I watched both tracks they had.

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I'm glad you liked the chapter. I tried so hard to make that one work. T_T

**forgetMEalways:** Here's your update. And I'm glad you likey.

**mypersonalsun:** -sigh- Where to begin? Well, I'm glad I hooked another one on ReidXTyler. I'm also glad you think so highly of me as a writer. I hope you like this chappie just as much as the last one. =D

* * *

Chase slowly opened his eyes. His memories crashed on him. He'd gone to figh Caleb at the Putnam Barn, but he was laying in Caleb's bed. He buried his face in one of Caleb's pillows and breathed in Caleb's scent. He sat up and saw a note laying on the pillow next to him.

"Chase, I wanted to wait for you to wake up (God knows you're beautiful when you sleep) but classes started. I have to try to break the news to the others. Send me a message when you get up. Love you, Caleb."

Chase sighed. Tell the others. Tell the others what, exactly?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What happened?" Reid asked.

"He told me he didn't want to fight. He came home with me."

"What kind of spell did he put on you? Do you not remember him threatening Sarah?" Pogue demanded.

"I've only known Sarah for a few days. Chase is one of us." Caeb said evenly.

"He tried to kill Pogue. Last I checked, Pogo was one of us too." Reid pointed out.

"You would have done the same thing. He didn't grow up with The Book of Damnation. He didn't know what was going on and he was determined to not die like his father did." Tyler said slowly.

The table was silent for a long moment.

"Are you sure he can be trusted?" Reid asked after several minutes.

"He can be trusted." Caleb said.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Caleb opened the door to his house and was immediately attacked. He stumbled back against the now closed door. Chase's lips were pressed firmly agaisnt Caleb's.

"I've waited all day to do that." Chase breathed.

Caleb pulled Chase close to him and held him for a long moment.

"How'd the other's take the news?" Chase asked softly.

"Pogue's pissed, Reid's suspicious, Tyler's supportive."

Chase kissed Caleb again, this time slower and much less forcefully. He wrapped his fingers in Caleb's darks hair and pulled them ever closer.

"So this is the new house guest."

The two quickly separated. Caleb flushed and looked up to the top of the stairs wherehis mother stood. He watched her expression go from amused to confused.

"So was the 'big fight' just a lover's quarrel then?" His mother asked.

"Something like that." Caleb blushed.

She nodded and announced that she was going out for the night. Chase wished Mrs. Danvers a good night and smirked at Caleb once the door was closed. It was a smirk that caleb was all too familiar with. It was a smrik that meant Chase was plotting something...

--------------------------------------------------------

Chase was still sleeping soundly when Caleb showered (the water was hot in hopes of loosening his muscles), when Caleb go dressed (for once he was glad the pants were a little too big) and still asleep when Caleb walked out to his car (he hoped the limp wasn't obvious).

"You look pretty hagard." Reid said icily as he sat.

"Long night." Caleb shrugged.

"So Chase really does have you under his spell, doesn't he?" Pogue spat.

Caleb said nothing. He didn't even acknowledge Pogue.

"So you're just going to turn your back on us. You're choosing Chase over us." Pogue snarled.

"No. I'm not turning my back on anyone. What I'm doing is giving him a second chance."

"He tried to kill Pogue and he threatened all of us." Reid pointed out.

"You've made mistakes too, Reid." Tyler sighed.

"My mistakes didn't nearly kill anyone!" Reid hissed in reply.

"Except for yourself."

They looked at Tyler who had gone virtually unnoticed until he spoke.

"What?" Reid demanded.

"Your mistakes have never come close to killing someone other than yourself. Your addiction nearly killed you. And what would that have done to me? Is Chase the only one that's irresponsible and inconsiderate?" Tyler asked.

"I don't trust him, not completely. But I'm going to trust _you_." Tyler said to Caleb before he left the lunch table.

Reid growled and ran after him while Caleb sighed. High school drama...

-------------------------------------------------

"What's wrong babe?" Chase asked when he saw Caleb'sface.

Caleb dropped his bag by the front door. Chase hugged the younger teen close to him, humming a song that Caleb found haunting and strangely comforting.

"I told them you were staying with me. Pogue freaked, Reid was an ass and Tyler admitted that he's trusing my judgement and not you. How are things going to react when they find out we're...involved?"

Chase sighed and pressed his lips to Chaelbs forehead.

"We just have to take it one step at a time." Chase sighed.

"I don't want to choose between how I feel about you and them."

Chase released the distressed teen.

"You won't have to. If it comes to that, I'll go."

Caleb looked up at Chase and the older teen felt a wharp pain in his chest. There was so much hurt in those dark eyes.

"That's it? You'll just go like nothing ever happened between us?"

"You make it sound like it would be easy for me. No. I'm probably not going to last long without you. But it would be worth it to see you happy."

Caleb shook his head, tears threatening to spill over.

"Do I mean that little? They were all right. I shouldn't have trusted you."

"You mean that much. Since my parents died, you're the only one regarding me with any degree of humanity. If you can't be happy with me, I'll leave so maybe you can be happy without me. Just say the word. You think being away from you will be easy for me? Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chase was awake when Caleb's eyes opened. He washed Caleb's hair (the water was hot to relax stiff muscles), he picked out an outfit for Caleb (The jean just a little loose), he walked Caleb to his car (the limp wasn't so bad), and he kissed his lover goodbye.

"What's with you?" Reid asked Caleb at lunch.

She shook his head.

"He hurt you, didn't he? Just like I told you he would." Pogue smirked.

"He offered t leave, if it would make my life easier."

"Did you take him up on that offer?" Reid asked.

"Of course not. I told him I loved him, he told me he loved me more and we fucked like bunnies." Caleb shrugged.

Pogue choked on his sandwich, Reid spat out his mouthful of soda, and Tyler raised an eyebrow. Caleb smirked to himself. How would they react when when Chase stared school in a few days?


	24. 1039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours

**A/N:** As requested, I'm doing a follow-up for the follow-up of "Jack The Ripper". You guys seem to really like the idea of Chase coming back and getting involved again. I just want to thank everyone for reading this and wading through all of those chapters that sucked in the beginning and all the angst just a few chappies ago. I hope you guys like this one!

**Mico-chan:** I appreciate your glowing review and I'm glad the characters weren't terribly unlike themselves. Though I'm not entirely sure what brought on Chase's lines about leaving...

**AwayForLunch:** I thought it would be cute to kind of show the progression of the relationship, first one, then the other, you know? And yes, Tyler will always and forever be the most amazingly adorable character EVER! lol.

**EternityIsALongTimeXX:** It just didn't seem right to call him by his full name all the time. And besides, calling a "tough guy" like him something as silly as "Pogo" seems like a sure way to irritate him, especially if he's already angry-face!

**Lil Kitsune-chan:** I fixed that chappie just for you and you were right, I should've taken my time T.T And about your suggestions...Well...I took several key elements into consideration. Let's leave it at that. :-D

**Marcus 1233:** I know you didn't _officially_ review, but I'm including you here anyways. I know how it feels to be bogged down by impossible amounts of work, and don't worry. Just keep working on writing in your spare time. Don't feel obligated to review, but know that I check my inbox almost daily, hoping to see a review from you that will make me think and re-consider some of what I wrote. :-D

* * *

When a door opens in a quiet classroom, everyone looks. It's human nature to investigate sudden noises. So when the door opened suddenly in the middle of Mr. Horowitz's lecture, fourty-five pairs of eyes darted to the portal. They all listened to the hushed conversation between Mr. Horowitz and the intruder and most of them watched as the intruder made their way to the back of the room.

Caleb smirked to himself as he took his seat. He'd shown up late and, from the looks of things, Pogue wasn't very happy about what that implied. Chase had decided to start class again in a few more days. (He was still a little out of it from the Power withdrawls and they both thought it best for him to stay home.) Of course sex would be the first thing for Pogue to think. I mean, after his outburst yesterday, that's probably the first thing Reid and Tyler thought too! Or, they would have thought if they'd actually _been_ in class instead of in the back of Tyler's Hummer doing God only knows what.

"Your friend keep you up all night again?" Pogue demanded.

"Yep. He's in a lot of pain right now. He's hurting worse than that time Reid got drunk and tried stage-diving out in the Dells and no one caught him because he called out all the girls that he slept with that didn't mean anything."

Pogue almost allowed himself a smile at the memory of Reid crashing into the packed dirt under the little stage they'd set up. But when he remembered who the loveable idiot was being compared to, it drained him of his humor.

"Smile Pogue. He's not homocidal." Caleb rolled his eyes as they walked down the hallway.

"That's what you think. I wouldn't be surprised if he thinks about killing you in your sleep on a regular basis."

"Lay off, Pogo. It's his decision, let him live with it. If things work out, we've got brother number five back. If the prick tries to kill one of us again, we kick his ass all the way to the seventh circle of hell, then we give Cay the 'I Told You So' speech." Reid said, appearing from nowhere with Tyler in tow.

"Do you really want to let it get that far?" Pogue demanded.

"I don't think we're going to have any issues with that." Tyler shrugged.

"Like you know everything about everyone." Pogue seethed, pissed that no one was agreeing with him.

"Watch what the fuck you say." Reid hissed in Tyler's defense.

"Let's not fight now. There's no point to it. What's done is done."

The scene froze for a fraction of a second. Chase had materialized from the crowd, thrown one arm around Caleb's shoulders and interrupted their conversation. Pogue's eyes flashed black.

"Not in public, Pogue." Tyler said softly.

Chase tilted his head to one side and smirked at Pogue in a way that Caleb (guiltily) found incredibly attractive. Pogue ground his teeth together and stormed down the hallway. Reid watched after him with venom still in his eyes while Tyler peered over Reid's shoulder, watching Pogue rudely push people out of the way before sighing something about needing to send him to Charm School.

"What are you doing here?" Caleb demanded

"So you're not happy to see me?" Chase raised an eyebrow and Caleb felt like he was drowning in those honey-colored eyes.

"I never said that. I just thought we agreed you were going to stay home until Monday."

"I got lonely at home and the withdrawls don't hurt so much anymore, so I decided to start classes again early. Besides, I think a week is enough school for me to miss."

Reid and Tyler had turned their attention back to the not-pissed-of Sons of Ipswich and waited for Caleb to respond. He said nothing for a long moment.

"What the hell. It was worth it to see Pogue turn that shade of red." Caleb grinned.

Chase smiled in return and quickly kissed Caleb, despite the high risk of people seeing.

"Well! I think we're all going to be plenty late to history class as it is. Let's get moving." Reid said suddenly.

They all agreed and walked to the history class they had together. (Surprise surprise).

"I'm sorry about Pogue." Chase murmured as they hurried down the hall.

"Don't worry about him. He'll get over it. You should've seen how he reacted the first time he caught Reid checking Tyler out. I thought he was going to blow a gasket and Reid was in fear for his life for a few weeks. He's a hot head like this all the time. Don't worry about it. He'll eventually get over himself." Caleb promised.

------------------------------ONE MONTH LATER--------------------------------------

Pogue rudely pushed by Chase, knocking the smaller teen into a row of lockers.

"Watch where the fuck you walk." Pogue spat.

"You're the one that takes up the whole damn walkway. Tell me something, do you lift all those weights because Kate likes your muscles or because you're trying to compensate for something?" Chase asked, his familiar smirk in place.

Reid, Tyler and Caleb watched the situation warily.

"If anyone's got something to compensate for, it's you." Pogue said coldly.

"This is because I chose Caleb over you isn't it? I would've picked you, but that just would've broken Kate to bits and I can't do something like that to such a nice girl."

The air was charged with thousands of threats left unspoken and hundreds of comments best left unuttered.

"I think you're the one that's upset with being with Caleb. I mean, everyone knows I'm the epitome of perfection." Pogue smiled after a few long minutes.

Chase smiled in reply and the five of them laughed, all of them glad Pogue had finally gotten over his issues (just like Caleb promised), Chase was finally over his addiction (just like they had all secretly hoped) and things were returning to normal. Well, as normal as things could be or five teenage boys with an ancient magic in their possession.


	25. Lazy Sundays

**A/N:** This pairing is one I've never done before and I'm not sure I've ever seen it done. I won't tell you what it is. Read, let me know what you think. Because remember, Reviews make me happy and when I'm happy...Well...I write cool stuff.

**Lil Kitsune-chan:** Yes well, people asked for a follow up, so that's what I gave them. I hope you enjoy this one as much as you enjoyed "1039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours". This one is a little...different. Composed mostly of fluff. :-D

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire: **I'm glad you liked it darling.

**_PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!_** I hate begging, but I have low self-esteem when it comes to my writing. **_FOR ALL OF THE ANONS THAT ARE READING, I HAVE ANONYMOUS REVIEWING TURNED ON. YOU CAN LEAVE A REVIEW WITHOUT BEING A FANFIC MEMBER._** Kaythnxbai. Lol.

* * *

Reid slowly opened his eyes. There was an acoustic guitar playing somewhere nearby. He slowly sat up, the red duvet slipping away from his bare chest. He was unsurprised to see the other half of the large bed unoccupied. He rolled out of bed and pulled on a pair of grey sweatpants from the chest of drawers across from the bed and shook his head. He wasn't entirely sure why his mate had chosen such a large apartment for just the two of them, but he had. Reid pulled the duvet back up towards the pillows, making the bed look a little more presentable. He closed his eyes and smiled as a whisp of his lover's cologne wafted up from the bed.

Reid sighed and followed the sound of the acoustic guitar out of the bedroom, down the hall and into the kitchen. There was his mate, hovering over a pan full of pancake batter. Reid glanced at the clock and chuckled softly.

"What's funny?" His mate asked, not glancing away from the pan.

"I hate to burst your bubble baby, but it's 11:15."

Chase looked away from the pan and leveled Reid with one of his Stares. Reid always capitalized the word. Most people would think of it as a blank face, but Reid knew better. That was the face that clearly said he either didn't care, or hadn't known and didn't want to know. This Stare was the one that said "I don't care". Reid held up his hands defensively.

"I just found it funny that you waited until this late to start cooking breakfast."

Chase smiled at the blond, put his spatula down on the dark marble counter and rounded the kitchen island. He gently pulled Reid's face towards his own and gently kissed the silly blond. Reid smiled as he noticed Chase's hands still smelled like coffee. The dark-haired teen had some deep love for fresh-ground coffee so he was always grinding the beans himself and toying with the coffee machine, trying to get everything "just right". Chase quickly broke the kiss and returned to the pan on the stove.

Reid took a seat on one of the tall stools at the island in the kitchen and watched Chase cook. He noticed the acoustic guitar he heard was pouring from Chase's iPod that was hooked to a stereo system.

"Andy McKee?(1)" Reid asked.

"Mmhmm." Chase smiled.

Reid watched Chase remove the pancake from the pan and pour more pancake batter into the pan and then he started another pan for the eggs he was going to cook. Reid hummed along with the familiar melody of the guitar and watched Chase cook. He loved to watch Chase move. He was fluid and graceful and Reid was always afraid to look away from him because he didn't want to miss anything.

A few minutes later, Chase handed Reid a plate of food and a cup of coffee. They ate breakfast as usual, watching the sunrise, the silence saying everything.

Chase remained seated at the island while Reid cleaned up. Reid didn't like washing dishes in the dishwasher unless there were a lot of them. He could never explain his aversion, but it was there. Chase watched Reid scrub the syrup off the the plates and dry them carefully. He bit his lip when Reid reached just above his head to put the plates away.

The dishes done and the kitchen clean, Chase led Reid to the bedroom where he turned on the DVD player and started The Breakfast Club. Chase laid down on the bed and Reid put his head on Chase's chest. They lay there, the sunlight coming in through the window dancing over their faces and the movie playing. Chase kissed the top of Reid's head and whispered to the blond how much he loved him. Reid smiled up at him.

Chase would call it one of The Smiles. It was always capitalized in Chase's vocabulary. Most people would think it was just a smile. But those baby blue eyes said so much more. This smile was one that said they should do certain things that Caleb would most likely disprove of.

"Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest." Chase smirked.

Reid said nothing, the smile changing only slightly. Chse returned the smile and kissed the tip of Reid's nose. Reid wrapped his arms around Chase and murmured something about wanting to watch Liar Liar next. Chase chuckled and gave in. Lazy Sundays were his favorite days.

* * *

**(1)**: Andy McKee is an amazing guitarist. He is real, but not well-known. Dreamcatcher is one of my fave songs. :-D


	26. Never Think

**_THIS IS AN IMPORTANT NOTE TO THE READERS!!!!!!_**

I'm sorry I haven't been updating very often lately. I've had the worst case of writer's block. I even completely deleted my progress on _Amnis_ because it didn't want to work right. I'm sorry to disappoint like that, but I'm going to try and make it up to you. I'm working on an original slash that will be posted on fictionpress as soon as I get done with the final edit for the first chapter and come up with a name for the story. I'm really sorry to not update as often. For anyone interested in the original slash, I'll add the story name and username in the author's note for the next chapter. (It should be up by then.) Sorry again!!!

* * *

**Lil Kitsune-chan:** I'm glad you liked it. I don't thinnk it's strange for you to find it relaxing. I found it relaxing to write it. :-D

**forgetMEalways:** It seems there are a lot of people out there that don't really like Chase...But I'm happy to give you an enjoyable slash.

**raven2547: **Yay for love!!! lol

**AwayForLunch:** I like making people expect one thing and then give them another. It can be fun.

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire: **Thank you! And Happy New Year to you! XD

* * *

"I don't know what her problem is. She just freaks out over everything." Caleb grumbled.

"Maybe you should break up with her." Reid shrugged.

"Why?" Caleb demanded.

"Because all you ever do is complain about her to us and all Sarah does is complain about you to Kate. Break up with her."

Reid smiled softly at Tyler. They were babysitting Tyler's five-year-old cousin, Alex. Tyler and Alex had talked Reid into going to the beach with them and Tyler was trying to teach Alex to fly a kite. Caleb had decided to come with them and Pogue was taking Kate to Boston for some reason or another.

"I don't know. Maybe it's just a rough patch." Caleb sighed.

Reid laughed at him. Caleb looked indignant.

"Caleb, a rough patch doesn't last for two months. A rough patch lasts for a few days, two weeks at most. Anything more than that, and it's a sign that your relationship has gone from The Love Boat to The Titanic. Abandon ship, bro." Reid laughed.

Caleb muttered something under his breath and Reid paid him no mind. Alex's kite was up in the air and it was hard to tell if he was the most excited or if Tyler was. The wind slowed suddenly and Alex's kite drifted slowly to the ground. His face went from ecstatic to crestfallen and Tyler swooped him up in his arms, dragging the kite in the sand behind them. Tyler murmured something to Alex and the child grinned and nodded.

"Okay. Let's leave the kite here with Reid and Caleb." Tyler smiled.

"But Tyyyyyyyyyy!" Alex whined.

Reid stood up, careful to not kick sand everywhere.

"I'll take care of the kite, Alex. Don't worry." Reid smiled. He kissed Alex on the forehead and Tyler on the cheek and took the kite.

"See? It's taken care of. Now comes the hardest part of the day." Tyler said with a smile.

"What's that?" Alex asked, eyes wide.

"Do you want chocolate ice cream or strawberry?" Tyler asked, leading Alex to an ice cream vendor not far off.

"Chocolate!" Alex yelled.

Reid laughed softly to himself as Alex demanded he receive a piggy-back ride to the ice cream cart and back.

"Tyler's not going to be happy for long." Reid chuckled.

"Oh?"

"Alex is five years old. Ty's gonna have ice cream all in his hair."

Caleb watched Reid watch Tyler with a strange look in his eyes.

"I don't get it." Caleb said finally.

"Get what?" Reid asked as he wound up the string on the kite.

"I've seen you and Tyler argue. I've seen him hit you before, and hard. How is it the two of you are still together? Sarah and I have never even raised our voices at eachother and we're falling apart!"

"When the screams die down, we still know we love eachother. When he wails on me, I know it's just to vent and he knows that he'd never be able to hurt me. Every argument happens to refine your relationship. When you found Sarah, you thought you struck gold. Just turns out to be fool's gold. You gotta find a relationship that's like an ugly-ass rock. 'Cause once you start polishing that rock, it usually turns into something beautiful."

"...Okay, first, that was a lot deeper than anything I ever expected to hear from you. And second, are you saying your relationship with Tyler is an ugly-ass rock?"

Reid rolled his eyes.

"I don't take philosophy classes for no reason. And I'm saying that I didn't really know what I'd found with Tyler, not at first. But the more we work on our relationship, and the more we argue, the more I realize just what I've found."

"So when did you pick up the rock?" Caleb asked with a smirk.

"When we went to that fair freshman year. We were sharing a candy apple at the top of the ferris wheel and something about the flickering fair lights made him seem unearthly. I told him I didn't want to see him with anyone but me."

"Wait...I didn't think the two of you hooked up until the end of junior year!" Caleb protested.

"No, that's when you guys _found out_ we were hooked up." Reid smiled.

Caleb just shook his head. He knew Reid could pull the wool over their eyes with relative ease, but Tyler keeping soething like that under his hat for so long?

"So when did you realize it was something more than a common rock?" Caleb asked.

"The first time we fought. It was the end of freshman year and I said something stupid and he started crying. He told me that he didn't have to put up with it and if that was the way I was going to be, he was just going to leave me for someone else. That...That was when I realized that I had something speical." Reid nodded to himself.

Tyler stumbled back to the beach blankets, Alex on his shoulders.

"We have strawberry for Reid." Tyler smiled, handing Reid his ice cream cone.

"Vanilla for Caleb!" Alex chirped, holding out the cone.

Caleb took it with a smile.

"What flavor did you get?" Reid asked Alex as Tyler set him down.

"I got chocolate!" Alex beamed.

Tyler sat down next to Reid with his own strawberry ice cream cone. Alex sat himself in Tyler's lap and happily licked at his ice cream. Reid was about to start on his ice cream when a particular spot caught his eye.

"Okay. Which one of you stole a taste of my ice cream?" Reid asked, a playful scowl on his face.

"I didn't do it." Tyler said with a smile.

"Wasn't meeeeeeee!" Alex giggled.

"Someone did." Reid pointed to the spot where someone had clearly licked his ice cream.

Alex giggled again. Caleb watched Reid's playful interrogation with a sad smile. For a moment, he thought he'd be able to have that with Sarah. What if Reid was right? Oh God, it was the apocalypse. The Four Horsemen would be swooping down from the sky any minute now. Reid had a chance of being right for once. Caleb absently ate his ice cream, not noticing when Reid took Alex down towards the water to build a sandcastle.

"Still having trouble with Sarah, I take it." Tyler was looking at him intently.

"Yeah." Caleb nodded.

"She's not the one."

"How do you know that?"

"If Sarah and I were both held captive, and you had to choose one of us to live, who would you choose?" Tyler asked.

"You." Caleb didn't hesitate.

"Exactly. If it came down to you or Reid, I'd choose Reid. I'd feel bad for sentencing you to death, but I would choose Reid and I would never regret it."

"That's not a fair question." Caleb protested.

"Come on, Caleb. Don't even play at that."

Caleb just shook his head. Tyler watched Reid carefully stack sand up with Alex as they made a tower for the castle.

"You're not happy with her and you know it, Cay. Don't lie to yourself." Tyler sighed after a long silence.

"We used to be happy together."

"And for a while I was happy with Miles Jackson and Reid was happy with Angela Green. They were just placeholders until we realized how we felt for eachother. Maybe that's what Sarah is, a cardboard cut-out for you to have dinner and hold hands with until the real deal comes along." Tyler shrugged.

"Maybe..."

"What about that new kid, Chase?" Tyler asked suddenly.

Caleb raised an eyebrow.

"Come on man. When he started talking to Sarah, you looked jealous, not protective." Tyler smirked.

Caleb blushed and started out at the water.

"See?"

"First of all, I don't even know him. Second, he's a guy. And third, do you not remember the fist-fight we got into a few weeks ago?"

"First, you get to know him. Second, don't shut out any possibilites. And third, I remember him kissing your bloody lip to make it feel better." Tyler smirked.

Caleb blushed darker than before.

"Well speak of the devil and he shall arise." Tyler muttered.

Caleb followed Tyler's gaze and saw Chase walking along the beach. Caleb felt a wave of apprehension wash over him. He knew what Tyler was thinking. He was going to call Chase over and then he was going to leave the two of them alone while he went off with Reid and Alex.

"Chase!" Tyler called.

The one time he didn't want to be right...

"Imagine that." Chase smiled walking over to them.

"Would you mind babysitting Caleb for me? Reid has no idea how to build a sandcastle." Tyler smiled.

"I don't mind if Caleb doesn't mind."

Caleb rolled his eyes and Tyler walked towards Reid and Alex. Chase sat down near Caleb and sifted through the sand with his fingers. He picked up a crude shell with chips missing from its edges and holes in it. It was a dull brown color and it looked rough.

"Perfect." Chase smiled.

"Hardly." Caleb snorted.

"You know people say the ugliest oysters always hold the prettiest pearls. I've never been proven wrong by holding to that philosophy." Chase mused, turning the shell over.

The inside of the shell was a vibrant mother of pearl and it was smooth and intact. Caleb looked down at Reid and Tyler building up the castle with Alex and thought for a long moment.

"What do you know about geology?" Caleb asked with a smile.


	27. Montana

**A/N:** This is a sequel to the last chapter "Never Think". It picks up a few months after the other one stops. Hope you like it! **PS:** These past few chapters have been named after some sort of musical influence, so this story doesn't necessarily take place in Montana, as the chapter is named, but was inspired by the song "Montana" by Venus Hum.

**Lil Kitsune-Chan: **Here's the follow-up you wanted!

**Raven 2547: **Glad to satisfy your craving and I appreciate how you think I'm awesome.

**forgetMEalways:** I'm glad to have climbed that high on your list! I'll admit that I have some...strange philosophies like that one myself. You should hear my theories on Santa... lol.

**anonomous//guest: **With the exception of the haikus, none of the lyrics/prose belong to me. The title of the chapter is the title of the song to which the lyrics belong. And I'm glad you think I'm cool. You see, most peole that know me in real life think I'm a little on the nerdy/dorky side. XD

**asakage: **Well here's another one you can add to your list of favorites. Now with 300% more Chase than chapter 1! (...which had no Chase XD)

**IMPORTANT NOTE:** My original slash is now posted on fictionpress. The story's title is "Number Five" and the username is Embers In My Heart. Please check it out! Kthnxbai. lol

* * *

"Alex! Alex stop!" Tyler laughed.

Tyler had decided they needed a vacation. So he picked up Alex from his aunt's house, Reid from the arcade, Caleb the library, and Chase from work and they all caught a flight to a cabin Tyler's mom owned in the middle of some forgotten mountain range.

Alex was currently in the process of pelting Tyler with snowballs and giggling as the snow stuck to his cousin's hair.

"Ima get you, Monster!" Tyler yelled.

He started running after Alex, always making sure he never quite caught up with his cousin. Reid was off in his own little world not far away from Tyler and Alex making a snowman. Alex ran by the snowman and Tyler followed close behind, slipping on an icy patch and falling over, taking Reid's snowman with him. Reid looked down at the snow-covered Tyler for a moment, a blank expression on his face. Tyler was in shock from the fall, Reid was in shock that twenty minutes of work had disappeared so suddenly, and Alex was half-expecting to get yelled at. Reid started laughing at the snow-covered Tyler which started Alex laughing and Tyler eventually joined in. Reid pulled Tyler to his feet, holding Tyler's gloved hand in his own. He walked over to Alex and scooped him up, balancing the kindergardener on his hip with all the practiced ease of a many-times-over mother.

"Come on, Cookie Monster. Let's get some hot chocolate." Reid grinned.

Tyler wrapped an arm around Reid's waist and Reid threw his free arm around the brunette's shoulders.

"With marshmallows?!" Alex asked loudly.

"I dunno. What do you think, Ty? Do Cookie Monsters deserve marshmallows in their hot chocolate?" Reid asked Tyler with a smile.

"I dunno, Reid. What do you think Alex? Do Cookie Monsters get marshmallows in their hot chocolate?" Tyler asked his cousin.

"Yeah! Cookie Monsters get lots of marshmallows in their hot chocolate!" Alex yelled.

"If you say so..." Reid smiled.

"That's a real-life Kodak moment if I ever saw one." Chase smiled, shaking his head.

He was walking around mountain with Caleb and a camera, taking nature photos.

"They're cut in their own way, aren't they?" Caleb agreed.

Chase wandered into a row of trees and managed to snap a picture of a squirrel digging through the snow, looking for an acorn. Caleb walked through the trees after the older teen, a bare tree limb catching his jacket, knocking him off balance and sending him sprawling. He looked down and realized he'd landed on Chase who'd just managed to put his camera out of danger.

"Well hello, gorgeous." Chase smiled.

Caleb moved to get off of Chase, but the older teen grabbed Caleb by the scarf and pulled him back down, pressing their lips together. He waited for Caleb to start enjoying himself and he wrapped his fingers in Caleb's black hair. They laid there in the secluded, snow-covered woods for several long minutes that felt more like seconds. Chase eventually pushed Caleb away.

"Are you done?" Chase asked with a smirk.

"You started it."

"And the snow under me has melted and soaked my jacket. I'm freezing." Chase rolled his eyes.

Caleb got off of Chase and helped him up. Chase pressed Caleb against a tree and kissed him again.

"I thought you were cold." Caleb panted.

"I felt like kissing you again and I don't think Reid and Tyler would appreciate this much mature material being played out in front of Alex." Chase shrugged.

Caleb nodded and he walked back towards the cabin, Chase holding his hand.

"We were looking for you guys." Reid mused as he heated milk in a saucepan on the stove in the large cabin's kitchen.

"We got hot chocolate!" Alex yelled.

Tyler patted Alex on the head and reminded him that good Cookie Monsters used indoor voices.

"We took a little tumble out in the woods while we were looking for pictures and our clothes got filled with snow, so we're going to get changed into something dry." Chase smiled before dragging Caleb into the bedroom they were sharing.

Reid raised an eyebrow at Tyler and the brunette made a kissy-face at his lover. Reid laughed and Alex started humming a made-up song to himself as he colored in a coloring book.

"Look Tyler! I'm stayin' in the lines!" Alex chirped happily.

"You are! Now, I need you to finish that hot chocolate and go take a nap for me, Lex."

"But Tyler! The snow!" Alex whined.

"The snow isn't going anywhere, Alex. It'll still be there after your nap." Tyler promised.

"Reid! Tell him I don't gotta!"

"Nope. You gotta take a nap. Cookie Monsters that don't nap don't get any more hot chocolate." Reid said gravely.

Alex finished the last gulp of his hot chocolate and hurried off to his room where he lay down in his bed.

"You've certainly got a way with kids." Tyler smirked, hooking his fingers through the belt loops on Reid's jeans and pulling him close.

"Of course I have. I've dealt with you long enough." Reid joked.

"Funny." Tyler said before kissing Reid.

"I wonder...how...Chase and...Caleb...are taking to the...sleeping arrangements." Reid mused between kisses.

"I don't think they're going to be complaining. And what's Caleb mean when he says you and Chase had to teach him about geology before he could be happy in his relationship?" Tyler demanded.

"Well, at the beginning, his relationship with Chase was this ugly-ass rock." Reid started.

"What?" Tyler looked at Reid.

Reid told Tyler to hear him out. The blond turned off the stove and draped an arm around Tyler's shoulders, leading him to the couch, explaining all the while his philosophy on how love and rocks were a lot alike...


	28. Donkey Song

**A/N:** **_THIS IS KIND OF IMPORTANT TO ME!!!!_** I don't want to feel like I'm nagging, but if one of you guys could swing by fictonpress(dot)com and read and review "Number Five" by Embers In My Heart for me, it would mean _so much_. I love writing this story and I want people to tell me if they like reading it as much as I like writing it. Thank you guys.

**Lil Kitsune-chan:** I'm glad you liked the ending. These past few chapters have been very spontaneous and they seem to be flowing nicely. :D

**raven2547: **I'm basking in a sea of inspiration lately, lol. And for some reason I just thought it should be Reid to take care of Alex for "Montana" considering Tyler was dealing with the kid throughout "Never Think".

**katydid2287:** I'm glad you think the chapters are amazing. I try my hardest to keep you guys interested.

**CoverGirlXX:** o.o To be honest, I never thought of it as Chase calling Caleb ugly, though I suppose you're right... And yes, it is nice to see guys who are good with kids every now and then. ;D

* * *

"You're being irresponsible about this, Reid." Tyler huffed.

"How exactly am I being irresponsible? You're coming to keep me in line." Reid pointed out.

"That's beside the point! There is no way in hell this is going to work. I refuse to go along with this!"

"You don't have to. You've been out-voted. Now get in the damn van." Chase sighed.

Reid had somehow managed to find a large van and, using all of his artistic skill, he'd spray-painted the side of dark black with a burning star. There was a mattress in the back, a few pillows, blankets, several bags of clothes, Chase and Caleb.

"You're the only one not down for the trip." Chase pointed out.

"Me and Pogue. 'Cause we're the rational ones." Tyler smiled sarcastically.

"No. Because you're being stupid and Pogo is pussy-whipped and tied down to Kate's bed in Boston. Get in the fucking van!" Reid yelled.

"This thing is not going to make it across the country." Tyler griped.

Reid sent a glance to Chase sitting in the driver seat and Chase grinned. Reid looked at Caleb and Caleb nodded microscopically. Tyler, with his back to the van, didn't notice much of this. Reid pushed Tyler backwards and he fell into the van. Caleb grabbed Tyler and pulled him the rest of the way into the van while Reid jumped into the van and slid the door shut as Chase started driving. Tyler rolled his eyes. Reid grinned and jumped up into the passenger seat where he picked up a bullhorn.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. If you have not noticed, the seatbelt and no smoking lights are off. Please feel free to move around the cabin." He said into the bullhorn.

Chase and Caleb laughed hysterically along with him and Tyler allowed himself a smile.

"So what's our first stop?" Tyler asked.

"Our first stop is Pennsylvania." Reid grinned, unfolding a map.

Reid had somehow gotten the idea that it would be a good idea for the four of them to cram into a van and drive cross-country during their summer holiday. He then proceeded to talk Chase and Caleb into their cross-country adventure.

"Hope you girls can live off fastfood. We're living on a budget." Chase called over his shoulder.

"Why's that?" Tyler asked.

"Because it's no fun if we stay at the Four Seasons and eat at nice restaurants." Chase smiled.

At the end of the day, they still were't where they wanted to be, they were in the middle of nowhere, and no one wanted to drive. So they stopped at a rest stop, grabbed chips, sandwiches and sodas from the vending machines, and spent the night packed together on the mattress in the back.

"I feel so grimy." Tyler sighed.

Caleb was driving and for some reason, Tyler was the only one uninfected by Reid's reckless and careless attitude. He climbed into the passenger seat and that left Reid and Chase still asleep on the mattress. There were mumbling noises from the back of the van and Tyler turned around.

"Oh shit. Caleb, I think we got competition." Tyler grinned.

Caleb spared a glance at the mattress and saw Reid and Chase and moved closer to eachother and were wrapped up in eachother.

"There's an old Polariod camera in the glovebox. Get a picture." Caleb grinned.

Tyler grabbed the camera and snapped a quick picture. The flash woke the two boys and they realized what kind of position they were in. They pushed away from eachother with goofy grins. Reid and Chase stood on their knees in the small gap between the front seats.

"Hey, isn't that Aaron's car?" Reid asked, looking at the road ahead of them.

"Well I'll be damned. It is." Caleb agreed.

"I'll be damned if the bastard doesn't try something sneaky." Tyler muttered. He opened the glove compartment and picked up a bundle of Shogun firecrackers from the bottom.

"Red, hand me your lighter." Tyler ordered.

"What light--"

"Don't bullshit me. I know you keep one in your pocket. Just hand it here." Tyler ordered.

Reid pulled out his Zippo with the yin-yang side on the side and passed it to Tyler. When the van was alongside Aaron's car, someone stood up through the sunroof. One of Aaron's crew, James something, and flicked them off before tossing his soda at the van. Tyler rolled down the window.

"Have fun with this one kids!" He yelled.

Tyler lit the firecrackers and tossed them into the sunroof with perfect aim.

"Hurry up and fucking drive!" Tyler giggled.

Caleb sped off, leaving the car with smoke pouring out of the sunroof behind.

"Take this exit. We'll hide out there." Tyler grinned.

"Well I'll be damned. Baby Boy is finally embracing the spirit of this trip." Reid whooped.

"Yeah, well I think I could get used to this."

"Okay, so we stop in Pennsylvania first, but we have _got_ to stop in Vegas. We're all legal boys, migh as well have some fun." Chase pointed out.

"I'm in." Caleb said.

"Me too." Reid nodded.

"Why not?" Tyler shrugged.

Reid grinned like a maniac and pulled Tyler from the passenger seat and drug him back to the mattress where he kissed his lover senseless.

"Please tell me the rest of the trip will be like this." Tyler demanded breathlessly.

"As often as possible." Reid smiled.

Tyler pushed Reid off of him and hooked his iPod up to the radio. He turned it to his "Feel Good Mix" and turned the volume all the way up.

"Nothin' like a little IllKid while you make out." Tyler grinned before pushing Reid back onto the mattress.

"This could get interesting." Chase giggled.


	29. FCPREMIX

**blo0d staiNed Rose:** Here is your more Slashy. :-D

**CoverGirlxx:** I have the same underaged addiction to Zippos, don't feel bad. Your slash is lovely. Don't give up, keep at it.

**raven2547:** I'm glad you lol'ed. That one was based off mah fave movie, GRiND. :-D

* * *

"You have to be more careful because of your condition, Tyler."

"Mom, my condition has nothing to do with this argument, and you know it."

Tyler stood in the living room of the sprawling Simms Mannor, arguing with his mother. He was moving in with Reid, moving to Salem.

"I know you love Reid, but think of the consequences!"

"I'll deal with that if it comes to that, Mom."

Tyler walked out of the house. His mother had been less than over-enthused when she was told her baby was dating Reid. Not because he was gay, and not necessarily because he was with a Garwin, but Reid was known for his reckless and insensitive streak. Tyler supposed she still didn't completely trust Reid and that was why she was so upset about the two of them moving in together.

"I take it your mom wasn't happy." Reid sighed as he helped Tyler unpack.

"She'll get over it."

Reid nodded and seemed to be thinking about something.

"Babe? What's on your mind?"

"Let's go to dinner." Reid said suddenly.

"O-Okay...Where?"

"We'll figure it out when we get there."

Tyler was pulled from the house he was sharing with Reid and towards the Corvette in Reid's driveway. Reid drove for quite some time before he stopped.

"Oh wow. We haven't been here just the two of us since our first date." Tyler smiled, looking at the Italian restaurant.

Reid led Tyler inside. Tyler grew a little more worried as time progressed. Reid seemed a little distracted when their drinks were delivered, a bit nervous as their food was dropped off, and he seemed downright scared when they ordered desert.

"Okay, Reid, be honest with me. What's wrong?"

"How long have we been together, Ty?" Reid asked, seeming a little more calm.

"Three years."

"Seven months, two weeks and five days." Reid finished.

"Sure. Why?"

The waiter left their chocolate cake on the table. Reid pushed a little green box over to Tyler. Tyler recognized the color and design of the box instantly, not needing to see the three silver words emblazoned on the box lid to know.

"Reid, what did you buy from Tiffany's?" Tyler demanded.

Reid just stared into Tyler's sea-colored eyes. Tyler's curiosity grew and he opened the lid. He very nearly choked on his tongue. Inside was a white gold band with emeralds wrapping the ring. Along with the ring was a little white card with purple ink and Reid's handwritting on it.

_"Marry me?"_

Tyler looked up at Reid and realized why the blond had been so nervous all night. Tyler slid the ring onto his left hand ring finger and smiled at Reid.

"Maybe we should get the chocolate cake to go." Tyler smirked.

"Waiter!" Reid called.

The chocolate cake was thrown onto a counter as they passed by the kitchen, the two of them attached at the lips and intent on making it to Reid's bed. Tyler fumbled at Reid's shirt, his cold hands seeking out Reid's chest.

"Getting ahead of ourselves?" Reid breathed.

"Shut up."

Reid found himself and Tyler halfway undressed before he could form another coherent thought.

"What about the honeymoon?" Reid asked with a smirk.

"Honeymoon? Really? Reid, get serious. It's not the first time we've done this." Tyler said.

Reid shrugged and decided he might as well go along with it.

---------

Reid smiled at Chase, Caleb and Pogue. They were all meeting in Boston to catch up and hang out. It was the first time in a month he'd seen his brothers, not having seen them since they helped him pick out Tyler's engagement ring. Tyler gave Kate a hug and the two of them started talking far too quickly for the others to follow along.

"You look good man." Caleb smiled at Reid.

"I do? Who are you kidding? Tyler's finally gaining a little weight." Reid nodded.

It was true. Tyler, who'd always been the smallest of all of them, was starting to look a little healthier, not so emaciated.

"He's not worried about his girlish figure?" Chase asked.

"Shut up man." Reid grinned.

"Tyler, tell me what's going on." Kate demanded, far enough away so no one else could hear the conversation.

"I don't know anything for sure. I'm gong to look into it this weekend." Tyler promised.

"Does Reid know?"

"Come on Kate! You know there were only ever three people to know and since Dad died that leaves you and Mom."

"The two of you are engaged. He deserves to know."

"I'm not saying anything until I know for sure." Tyler huffed.

He walked with Kate back to the others. The five of them got lunch, watched a movie, hung out at the arcade, and acted like they were still in high shcool instead of being twenty.

That Saturday, Tyler was sitting at his desk, designing another website for some gargantuan corporation while Reid was off selling his paintings to business men in overpriced suits. Reid always loved to joke that Tyler was the stay-at-home Mom trying to look important behind the desk while he was out making the real money. Tyler had the sudden craving for chocolate chip pancakes, so he saved the design and headed to the kitchen. He made his famous chocolate chip pancakes and carried a plate back to his desk. An hour later, the pancakes were coming back up. He sat in the bathroom for a moment, mortified and unsure of what to do. It took him a bit, but he finally recollected his thoughts and picked up his cell phone.

"Kate? I need you to come get me."

Kate picked Tyler up and drove him to the drugstore so he could pick up what he needed and she drove him back home.

"Do you want me to stay with you until Reid comes home?" Kate asked.

Tyler shook his head and took a gulp from his Pepto Bismol bottle.

"You sure you're gonna be okay?"

"I'm fine, Katie. Now go home before Pogue starts freaking out."

Kate grudingly left Tyler home alone. When Reid came home thirty minutes later, Tyler was nowhere to be found.

"Ty? Where are you?"

The office was empty and the screensaver was up on the computer. Tyler wasn't in the bedroom...Reid stopped. The light was on in the bathroom. Reid opened the bathroom and saw Tyler with his back to the wall, his head resting on his knees and his arms wrapped around his legs.

"Tyler? What's wrong? What happened?" Reid asked.

Then his eyes landed on the little strip of white plastic clutched in Tyler's hand. Reid gently pried it away from him and looked down at it.

"Tyler, what's this?" Reid asked.

"Don't play stupid Reid. You know what the hell it is." Tyler looked up at his finacee with red-rimmed eyes and a tear-streaked face.

"Tyler..."

"Yeah, Reid. I fucked up. I'm pregnant. I'm twenty years old and knocked up." Tyler choked before he started sobbing again.

Reid slid down the wall next to Tyler and sat next to him, feeling a bit lost.

"I'm so sorry Reid. I should've been more careful." Tyler whispered.

"You're serious. This isn't some joke, right?" Reid asked.

"No, Reid. I'm a freak and fucking pregnat."

"You're not a freak. You're my finacee. And you're...Oh my God...Tyler...You're going to have my baby. Oh wow. Ty, you're going to have my baby."

"Congratulations Captain Obvious. We're now promoting you to General." Tyler rolled his eyes.

Reid pulled Tyler to his feet and pulled the brunette close to him.

"This is the most amazing thing that could possibly happen to me." Reid grinned, kissing Tyler's lower lip.

"You're not...freaked out? Upset? Angry?"

"Why would I be any of those things? You've got my baby in your belly!" Reid couldn't keep from grinning.

"You're too good for me, Reid Garwin." Tyler smiled softly.

"Not a chance in hell. I gotta call Caleb." Reid said giddily.

"No. Reid, I want to tell them." Tyler said firmly.

"You can do whatever the hell you want. You're the mother of my baby!"

Unfortunately Reid had to fly to Toronto the next day to unveil one of his galleries.

"You take care of yourself and my puppy." Reid said, putting his hand on Tyler's stomach and giving him a quick kiss.

"Get out of here before you miss your flight." Tyler blushed.

He watched his financee walk towards the boarding gate. He twisted the ring on his finger and sighed. He drove back home and called Kate.

"Can you swing by my place and take me to the doctor?" He asked.

"What's wrong?"

"I gotta get a very important picture taken." Tyler smiled.

"So you are?"

"I take it you're around Pogue."

"When am I not?"

"Ditch him and come get me. Do not say a word about this to anyone."

Kate was at Tyler's house twenty minutes later.

"I told Pogue you were missing Reid already and we needed some girl time. You should have seen how quickly his offer to come disappeared." Kate giggled.

Kate followed Tyler back to the room for the ultrasound.

"I have some good news, Mister Simms." The ultrasoud tech smiled, her honey eyes lighting up.

"What?" Tyler asked, peering at the screen.

"Do you see that?" The tech pointed at a part on the screen.

"Yeah."

"And that?" She pointed to another part of the screen.

"Does that mean..." Tyler asked.

"It certainly does. Congratulations."

Despite the occasional bout of morning sickness, Tyler made it through the day fine enough and he was waiting at the airport for Reid's plane the next morning.

"You look happy." Reid smiled, throwing an arm around the brunette's shoulder.

"We gotta call a meeting so I can tell the boys." Tyler smiled.

They decided to meet at the Danver's Mannor, an old habit from when they were kids.

"What are we doing here again?" Pogue asked.

"Tyler has a very important announcement to make." Reid smiled.

Kate winked at Tyler and he grinned at her.

"This wasn't how we originally planned it, but sometimes things happen a little out of order." Tyler started.

"And the point of this meeting?" Caleb asked.

Reid silenced him with a sharp and icy glare, one he extended to everyone in the room.

"When Reid proposed, I got a little carried away and decided an early honeymoon was in order. Well, shit happens, as the saying goes. I'm pregnant."

The room stilled, Reid and Kate smiling, the others stone silent.

"You're..." Caleb started.

"Prego?" Chase finished.

Tyler nodded.

"You're serious?" Pogue asked.

"I know I should've probably told you guys it was a possibility for this to happen, but it always made me feel a bit self-conscious. Hell, Reid didn't even know until I told him I was pregnant. Which leads me to my second point."

Reid raised an eyebrow. He wasn't aware there was a second point. Tyler held up a grainy black and white photo.

"This right here is going to be Reid's son, Keegan James." Tyler pointed.

Reid smiled.

"And this right here is going to me Reid's _other_ son, Jayden Alexander." Tyler pointed to another part of the picture.

Reid's smile disappeared and no one moved a muscle.

"_Twins_? Tyler...Do you have any idea what this means?" Caleb asked.

"You're going to be raising _Garwin Twins_. That's going to be like...hell on Earth!" Chase cried.

"Shut the hell up." Reid pouted.

"He's got a point." Pogue agreed.

"Shut up Pogue. You were a little prick when you were growing up too." Tyler huffed.

"I don't think Alyssa will be any different." Kate sighed.

Everyone paused again.

"Alyssa?" Pogue demanded.

"Alyssa Noel Parry. I kinda like the way it sounds." Kate smiled.

"Don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself?" Caleb asked.

"No. I got my ultrasound same day Tyler did." Kate held up her own black and white photo.

"Okay. This is getting a little creepy. I think we should go before someone else has something to confess." Chase nodded.

Caleb bit his lower lip and seemed suddenly interested in a picture on the wall.

"Cay?" Chase asked.

"Surprise?" Caleb tried.

"You lying little prick! I thought that was you coming out of the room next to mine!" Tyler yelled, pointing at Caleb.

"Please don't tell me you're knocked up too." Chase begged.

"...Surprise? I was gonna tell you when we were alone tonight, but Tyler called the meeting and threw everything out of whack." Caleb pouted.

"So you didn't have a stomach virus last week." Chase said.

Caleb shook his head.

"Please don't say two." Chase begged.

"Of course not. God hates you too much to give you two kids. That's why I'm having two boys _and_ a girl." Caleb smiled.

"Not fair! I wanted a daughter! Everyone else has one! Why can't I?" Tyler pouted.

"We'll shoot for a girl next time." Reid smiled.

The next month Reid and Tyler got married. The month after that, Chase and Caleb tied the knot. It was only two weeks later when Pogue finally married Kate.

Keegan and Jayden were born on Halloween, Alyssa was born a week before Christmas, and Zachary, Mitchell and Robin were born two days after Valentine's Day. And, for the record, Tyler's mother never approved.


	30. Homecoming

**A/N:** Please note that for this story there is an age-gap of about a year and a half between Tyler and Reid for this story. Reid is around nineteen, and Tyler is around seventeen. I find this story a little sub-par, but it's loosely based on something that happened to me this past week. An old friend of mine came out of nowhere and surprised me and I was glad to see him because I missed him so much. :-D

**philomina:** Maybe I'll do the Christmas one next chapter....gotta see how that plays out...

**Lil Kitsune-Chan:** I think maybe I can merge your idea with philomina's...Hmm....

**forgetMEalways:** I wasn't sure anyone would get the title, so it's nice that you got that one. I kinda liked the iea of Reid saying smething ridiculously sappy like that. :-D

**raven2547:** I thought it was kind of funny. I'm not entirely sure what brought all of that on though...lol.

**bloOd StaiNed Rose: **I'm glad I was able to brighten your day.

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** Thank you again for the glowing review!

* * *

Tyler sighed and pushed his dark hair out of his eyes. He hated Fridays. Most people thought it strange to hate Friday. It's the end of the week! What's there to hate? Tyler called it "Cock-Block Day"(1) because everyone wants to hit Saturday, everyone wants a peice of the weekend, but Friday keeps getting in the damn way. He looked up from the stack of books he was trying to balance in his hands and for a moment he thought he saw a familiar head of blond hair. He tried to look through the mass of people trying to get to class on time for a second, but he soon scolded himself for being so foolish. Reid had graduated in June. It was February. Tyler shook it off and pushed his way through the crowd and to his English class.

He dropped his books on his desk and took his seat with a sigh. God he hated writing essays for this stupid, stupid class, and that's what they'd have to do.

"Guess who I saw."

Tyler looked behind him at his friend Beth. She was sitting forward in her seat grinning like a fool.

"Who'd you see?"

"A certain Reid Garwin." Beth winked.

"Really?

"Mmhmm."

"Cool."

Tyler turned around before Beth could tell how excited he was. If Reid was at the school, then that meant there was a chance Tyler could see him again! He'd never told anyone other than Beth that he'd had a crush on the blond, but it was hard to _not_ fall for him. Tyler pushed his lusty thoughts about Red out of his mind and started working on the essay prompt that was up on the board.

If there was one thing Tyler hated, it was writing analytical essays. He never, ever wanted to hear the words syntax, diction, rhetorical strategies, figurative language, pacing, or colloquialism ever again. It was driving him insane. The door opened and Tyler looked up, grateful for a distraction.

"Hey Mr. Picard." Reid smiled.

Tyler couldn't remember how to make his lungs work or how to make his heart start up again.

"Tyler!" Beth hissed.

Tyler snapped out of his trance and sent the girl a grateful look. Reid walked up to the front of the room and talked quitely with Mr. Picard about college lifeand how much he missing being in high school and having it easy. Tyler sighed softly to himself. Part of him was glad he'd been over-looked by Reid, at least now he wouldn't have to worry with making conversation. The other part of him was upset that he was so easily ignored.

When the bell rang, Tyler handed his essay to Mr. Picard and was glad class was over.

"You don't say hi?"

Tyler turned around and saw Reid watching him.

"I didn't think you'd remember me." Tyler half-joked.

"We had at least one class together for three years. I think I'd remember you." Reid smiled.

Tyler shrugged.

"This is going to sound a little strange, but why don't we go get some coffee or something and catch up?" Reid suggested.

"Sure. When?" Tyler tried to not sound overly hopeful.

"Right now. I've got a car waiting outside and I don't think your mom will mind."

Tyler nodded shyly and followed Reid out to the car. Tyler put his bags in the backseat and sat down in the passenger seat.

"Is that one cafe still open?" Reid asked as he started the car.

"Yeah."

The drive was spent mostly in silence. Tyler was too shy to talk, and Reid was too busy singing along with the radio to notice. Inside the coffee shop was a different story.

"So what exactly have you been up to?" Reid asked.

"Studying. A lot. being college-bound isn't easy for some of us."

"Sounds like a shit-load of fun. I take it you don't get out much."

"Not really. Not as often as I used to."

"Which wasn't that often to begin with." Reid joked.

"Haha. What have you been up to?"

"Studying as little as passibly possible, using my spare time on mostly sleeping." Reid smiled.

"It sounds very productive." Tyler smiled.

They spent the rest of the day there, talking mostly about nothing and rarely about anything. It was sunset and the coffee shop was closing when Reid and Tyler finally left. The parking lot was strangely empty and not at all like the car-filled lot that had forced Reid to park behind the cafe.

Tyler walked ahead of Reid who was messing with his keys and waited by the passenger door. He was suddenly spun around and his back was slammed against the side of the car. He wanted to demand to know what was going on, but that was difficult with Reid kissing him like that. Tyler wound his arms around Reid's neck and pressed their bodies closer together. Reid frantically slid a hand up Tyler's shirt and the brunette wrapped his legs around Reid's waist. The kiss was desperate and hungry.

"Your mom won't notice if you come home with me, will she?" Reid panted.

"Probably not. She drinks more than you do." Tyler smiled.

The two got in the car and Reid found it difficult to obey the speed-limit signs. Since Reid felt it was taking far too long to get back to his apartment across town, he took to kissing Tyler senseless at every stoplight they came to. They were lip-locked the entire time they were in the elevator and they separated just long enough for Reid to unlock the door to his flat. Tyler fell backwards onto Reid's bed and looked up at the blond, watching him shrug his shirt off.

"I just want to know what brought all this on." Tyler groaned as Reid kissed down his neck.

"I've been wanting to do this for a long time now." Reid growled.

Tyler gasped as Reid took to kissing and biting hot-spots Tyler didn't know he had.

"Are you sure you're okay with this? There's an age-gap and I go to school across town." Reid pointed out.

"Shut the hell up Reid." Tyler ordered.

Reid drove Tyler home the next morning and not much was said.

"I'll pick you up at eight." Reid said as Tyler stepped out of the car.

"Huh?"

"I'm taking you to dinner tonight." Reid smiled.

"Like dinner or a dinner date?"

"Why don't we decide when we get there?"

Tyler nodded and felt his stomach drop. He waved half-heartedly as Reid drove away and he slowly walked up to his room. He fell on his bed and cried softly into his pillow. He'd slept with Reid, he'd given himself up to the blond, and now it seemed he was just another name on the long list of Reid Garwin's One-Night Stands. His phone rang at seven and he answered with a sigh, knowing it was going to be Beth, scolding him for not going home last night.

"You didn't forget about our date, did you?"

"Reid?"

"Sure."

"You're calling me to remind me about our...what did you say?"

"I asked if you forgot about our date."

"Friend date or serious date?"

"That depends."

Tyler bit his lower lip and closed his eyes.

"Did you drop the phone or something?"

"No. Depends on what?"

"How serious you want this to be."

"How serious do _you_ want it to be?"

"I want it to be serious. But if you just want it to be that awkward friends with benefits thing, I'll deal with that too."

"So you're saying you're ready for a serious relationship."

"As long as it's with you."

"So how nice shuld I dress?" Tyler asked.

"Well I heard there was this French restaurant you always wanted to go to in Boston so I figured..."

"Really?"

"Really."

"I gotta get ready."

"I'll see you soon."

Tyler hung up the phone and tossed it onto his bed, running to the bathroom. He needed to shower, pick out an outfit, and get ready in general for his hot date.


	31. Sunshine

**(KIND OF) IMPORTANT A/N:** Okay guys, this is going to sound cruel and unusual, but I wanna try to hit 200 reviews before chapter 40. Please? Make me feel loved!!!! Oh, and this ficlet is TylerxReid based on my real-life relationship. =D Thanks for reading!!

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire: **Yes, Reid and Tyler rock. But I think this one is going to rock your socks right off...

**Autumn's Shadow:** I couldn't stop smiling while I wrote it. I mean, my Bastian is boisterous blond with bright blue eyes and I myself am a curly-haired brunette. So for some reason, I thought of Reid and Tyler in our positions. (Though Bastian didn't kiss me senseless and take me home with him, lol.)

* * *

Sometimes you think you get to know someone. You spend so much time with them that you gradually begin to believe there's not much about them that you don't know. And sometimes they come out of nowhere with some sort of strange surprise for you. It usually happens once you start seeing them away from everyone else, when you pull them out of the social setting and into one that's a little more subdued.

In the seventeen and a half years that I've known Baby Boy, he's always been content to do what he's told. If I were to look at him and ask him to finish my anatomy paper (like I so often do) he would and he wouldn't question it. He might tell me that one of these days he's not going to be around to finish my work, but it never goes beyond that.

A night at Nicky's changed that perception. I'm pretty sure I'd had at least half a dozen drinks before Tyler showed up to come get me. Nick had called him again, said he didn't want me driving home in the condition I was in. I'll never forget what he said to me. He said "Reid, you can't keep doing this to yourself. You take anatomy, you know what alcohol does to the liver." It was the funniest thing I'd ever heard. I doubt I'll ever forget that, just becuase it strikes me as funny, even now when I'm completely sober.

Baby Boy drove me home that night. He helped me walk up those damn stairs to my bedroom. I sorta tipped over and crashed into the bed and took him with me. I was half-way sober by this point instead of completely sloshed. I told him I'd always wanted to kiss him. Hey, a drunk boy's words are a sober boy's thoughts. He just looked down at me for a little while and then he smiled at me.

I've never fought so hard to be in control in my life. I fought with everything that I had and it _still_ didn't work. I never really took Tyler for the dominant personality in a relationship, but I'll be damned if that's not what he is. On the outside, he's willing to take whatever you throw at him. But put him in the bedroom and all he knows is control. He somehow managed to kiss me hard enough to bust the inside of my lip. I'd never experienced anything quite so exhilarating in my life. It was strangely nice to not have to be in control for once, to not have to lead some clumsy girl through the motions, to have someone else take the lead.

Maybe this secret side of Tyler is best kept a secret. It's been well-hidden up until this point. Tyler knows when to let me think I'm in control and when to toss that notion out the window. I've got to admit, this dominant streak Baby Boy's kept hidden is pretty damn hot...


	32. Lullaby

**A/N: **This story is another one inspired by the real-life adventures of my boyfriend and me. He has become my muse. :D

**whatever rocks your sox:** I like the idea of there being a differnt side... I mean, every easy-going persn has a darker side... lol

**forgetMEalways:** Oh yes... Those guys that sit there and take whatever you throw at them and then they just surprise you like that... Is very hott. :D

**CoverGirlxx:** I thank you for your applause. And I agree that the "ZOMG" thing would be too far from character to be anywhere near believable.

**DarkDEATH:** I am very glad you like my oneshots. And I try my hardest to make each little shot a complete and self-sufficient story.

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I'm glad you like the way Reid and Tyler mesh. And thank you so much for checking out Number Five!!!!

**bloOd StaiNed Rose: **Oh yes. Making Tyler dominant was soooo much fun. And it's a shame that no one else cares to make Tyler dominant...

**Autumn's Shadow: **Here's your update. And I'm glad you found Tyler as tasty as I did. :D

* * *

Tyler opened the front door to his house and was none too surprised to see Reid standing in the doorway. He stepped to the side and Reid walked in. Thye headed to the living room where they made themselves comfortable on the couch and turned on the television. Reid and Tyler enjoyed their time in silence for several long minutes before Tyler turned his attention to Reid's face.

"What?" Reid asked once he noticed where Tyler's focus was. Tyler gave Reid a look that could only be understood by he blond. Reid smiled darkly and Tyler sat on Reid's lap, wrapping his arms around the older teen's neck, their noses almost touching. Their breathing was slow and even, neither of them moving.

Tyler eventually tired of the waiting game and leaned closer to Reid, attempting to press a kiss to his lover's lips. Reid laned away from the contact and Tyler's hungry lips met empty air. Tyler whimpered softly. Reid smiled. Tyler again tried to assault Reid's lips, but he got no closer than he did with his previous attempt. Reid was leaned against the back of the couch and Tyler was convinced ther was no way Reid could avoid him now. Tyler leaned forward to kiss his lover again and Reid pushed Tyler gently backwards. Tyler frowned at him and Reid responded by taking Tyler's wrists. Tyler leaned forward to kiss Reid and the blond pushed him back again.

Their little game went on for sveral minutes until Reid almost gave in. Tyler could not lean forward anymore, not with the way Reid was holding him. Reid closed the gap, but only barely. His lips were hardly touching Tyler's and they were gone after being there for only a fraction of a second. Tyler whimpered and tried kissing his lover again. Reid refused to allow their lips to have contact. Tyler pouted and Reid loosened his hold on Tyler and the brunette rushed forward to press a hungry kiss to Reid's lips. Reid enjoyed the contact just has much as the brunette.

The two were just beginning to enjoy themselves when Tyler's phone started ringing. Tyler grudgingly answered his mother's call and stepped into the kitchen to get a drink.

"Are you still home alone?" Mrs. Simms asked.

"No. Reid stopped by. We were watching TV." Tyler said carefully.

"I'm sure there was more than that going on." His mother said dryly.

"Mom!" Tyler protested.

"At any rate, I'm calling to tell you this damnable meeting is going to take longer than expected. Looks like I'll be out of town for a few more days. I should be back some time soon. Love you, sweetheart."

"Love you too, Mom." Tyler hung up the phone and made his way to the living room.

Tyler stopped short when he walked into the dimly-lit living room. Reid had stretched out on the couch and looked to be asleep. Tyler took a few steps forward, moving cautiously, wondering if it was a trick. Once he got close enough to Reid to feel the warmth that always seemed to be rolling off the blond, Tyler was sure his lover was sleeping. Tyler shook his head and sat down next to Reid, not caring when the blond's feet ended up in his lap.

"And you say _I _should sleep more." Tyler murmured to himself.

Not that it mattered. He knew that when Reid woke up, he was going to be convinced he had some making up to do. And that was one thing Tyler wouldn't complain about...


	33. Romanticism

**A/N:** This is a short little drabble. As they have been lately, inspired by by boyfriend whom I :heart: very much. :D Oh and, **_IMPORTANT NEWS!!!!!_** I'll be moving from my current home in Florida to Maryland this June, so a lot of my time is spent packing. And, um... The PEN drive with stories like _Amnis_ and _Number Five_ is currently lost in the depthless recesses of my house. Hopefully I'll be able to find it in working condition. 'Cos if not, I'm seriously going to break down. _Number Five_ is over 120 pages long. Yeah. Tell me about it. Wish me luck on finding it.

**raven2547:** I'm contemplating working that into _Amnis,_ rest assured. :)

**CoverGirlxx:** As you asked, I told my Koi that you think he's awesome. He kinda looked at me and said "Yeah, that's a little strange". But hey, at least he didn't run screaming, lol.

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I am thoroughly glad that you enjoyed it. :)

* * *

He may have just been having another of his moments of hopeless romanticism, but Tyler was finding himself completely enamored. He was sitting on the couch with Reid's head in his lap, the blonde's legs dangling over one arm of the couch. Light from the setting sun difted lazily through the window behind hem, casting a bit of a glare on the TV in front of the couch that neither of them were really watching.

Tyler held Reid's face in his hand, marveling at the way Reid's lucious cheekbone followed the contour of his thumb. He ran feather light fingers across Reid's eyelids and lips. Reid felt a vaguely tingling sensation on his lips even after Tyler's figers had moved on to trace another part of his face. Reid placed a hand on the base of Tyler's neck and stared into Tyler's big, blue eyes. Tyler met Reid's gaze unwaveringly and felt himself slowly melt into Reid's touch and his eyes slid close when Reid's lips were pressed against his own. Tyler smiled down at Reid when the kiss ended and Reid somehow managed to half-jump hal-roll off the couch. He grabbed Tyler's hands and pulled him up from the couch. Tyler stood up slowly.

Reid wrapped his arms around Tyler's waist and pulled him close. Tyler willingly moved closer to Reid. Though he let out a small yelp when Reid suddenly lifted Tyler. The brunette instinctively wrapped his legs around Reid's hips and his arms wound around the blond's neck. Reid kissed Tyler and the brunette's grip on his lover tightened. Tyler whimpered slightly as they started moving. He was going to ask Reid what the hell he was doing when Tyler got his answer. He couldn't stifle his groan when is back was suddenly and harshly pressed against a wall and his hips collided with Reid's. The kiss grew more heated and frantic as time went on. Tyler finally pushed Reid away slightly, desparately needing to catch his breath.

"Where did this come from?" Tyler panted.

"Not sure. Wanna go finish this up in the bedroom?" Reid asked with a raised eyebrow.

Tyler released his grip on Reid and dropped to the ground. Tyler grabbed Reid's wrist and drug him towards the bedroom. Hopeless romanticism indeed...


	34. An Angel Falls

**A/N:** Sorry it took so long for this update. I'm packing my house up 'cos I'm moving in with a friend in the middle of next month because I'm selling my house and the sememster doesn't end until June. In June, I'm moving from Florida to Baltimore, so things are a little hectic. T_T

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** Here's some more for you!!!

**raven2547:** That's one of my favorite parts. And something VERY, VERY CLOSE to an exhange between myself an my (now ex) boyfriend.

**chequeredsweetheart:** Thank you for all your praise! And I agree that there are simply not enough ReidXTyler stories to go around.

**forgetMEalways:** I'm glad you liked the chapter. And slash is nothing without a little smut. ;)

* * *

"You don't give them enough credit."

"You give them _too much_ credit."

"You're wrong."

There was a rustling of wings and a few softly murmured comments. A guardian angel was not meant to argue with an archangel.

"Your attachment to them and your sentiments are what keep you from seeing the truth as I do."

"And your arrogance keeps you from seeing the truth like I do."

There was a moment of silence from the insulted archangel.

"I have a proposition for you..." Michael said slowly.

"What is it?"

"You'll be stripped of your wings and sent to a city, one with crime and evil. If you can prove to me that there is still good in the world, you will be immediately returned to heaven and your position will be returned to you."

"And if I don't prove it to you?"

"Then you will live a human life, die a human death, and when you return to heaven, you will have to begin your ranking from the beginning."

"Fine."

---

"Well, well, well. What's pretty, pale and all alone?"

Rough hands, dark thoughts, bricks roughing my shirt...

A yell, abscence of evil, sinking to the ground, footsteps, concern...

"Are you okay?"

Eyes the shade of blue that angels spend eternities trying to perfect for their ceremonial robes.

"I'm fine."

"Do you live far from here?"

Concern, worry, nervousness, shyness returning.

"You could say that." It's not a lie. I slept in this alley last night.

"You don't have a home."

Realization, more concern, determination.

"Not in the traditional sense." I shrug it away, wait for his reaction.

"You're coming with me."

He holds out his hand. I take it. He leads me through a labyrinth of streets and to his apartment. It's moderately sized, nicely furnished, painted in calming colors.

"Why don't you take a shower. These clothes should fit you."

More shyness, nervousness.

"Thank you."

The water is warm, the clothes, a pair of jeans and a shirt with faint traces of his scent clinging to them. He's making something in the kitchen. Garlic, tomato, basil.

"I figured you might want something to eat." He blushes. Shyness rolling off of him.

"Thank you."

"You don't really talk much, do you?" Nervousness beginning to outweigh the shyness.

"I'm not sure how to thank you for all of this." An honest answer for the man who saved me.

"I'm a fan of helping people. My name's Tyler, by the way." His smile is one that would melt the heart of even Archangel Michael.

"I'm Reid."

"How long have you been on the streets?"

"A few days now. I was kicked out of my previous home." Carefully chosen words, words that were not a lie.

Dinner conversation was one-sided, Tyler doing most of the talking. I answered his questions carefully and thanked him honestly when he left me with spare blankets and the pulled out couch.

The sunrise brought my wake-up call. Peace, soft breathing, shifting. Tyler was still asleep. I moved through the kitchen as silently as only a guardian angel can, one used to making things better without being noticed, and started breakfast. Eggs, milk, onions, cheese, ham. Bacon. Biscuits. Sausage. Strong black coffee.

"You're making breakfast." Surprise, disbelief... Giddiness? Did he expect me to rob the house and slip out in the cover of darkness?

"In appreciation." I shrugged his emotions off. My wings were gone, but my divine empathy was still there.

Two weeks pass. Tyler's unmasked emotions have grown familiar to me. His work at the animal shelter amazes me. His volunteer hours feeding a congregation of the homeless under a bridge astound me. His smile paralyzes me.

Another week passes. Michael knocks politely on the door while Tyler is working with the Humane Society. Abashedness, regret, injured pride.

"You've somehow managed to find the most caring and giving human on this planet." Michael admits with slightly slouched shoulders and drooping wings.

"I don't care."

Surprise, shock, worry.

"You don't care?"

"You could give me my wings back, make me a Saint and an Archangel and I would trade all of it for a few more hours with him."

Michael remains silent.

"You would trade your wings and your position for a human?" Understanding, acceptance.

"For _this_ human."

"So be it. Your wings are returned to you for use at your desgression, providing you don't compromise your already precarious situation. Upon the ending of your human life, you shall be returned to your position as guardian angel. Your selected mortal mate shall be granted an angelic position upon his death and neither of you shall have to spend eternity alone." Finality, authority, promise, hope, pride.

That night, I told Tyler the truth. Suspicion, worry, disbelief. Those feelings didn't dissipate until I took off my shirt and unfolded my wings. He nearly cried. I told him that I nearly forefited my divinity for him and he _did_ cry.

Tyler's human life passed more slowly than mine. I was waiting by the gates for him when he arrived. I cried when Michael granted Tyler his wings, his shining eyes matching the ceremonial robes I labored over for three years to make the same shade as his eyes.


	35. Demon Dayz

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I'm glad you liked that one. :D

**CoverGirlxX:** I'm glad you liked the chapter and thanks for your compliments. My ego needed some inflation XD

**Lil Kitsune-Chan:** Well... I kinda borrowed the idea you left for me in that review. Hope you don't mind!

**forgetMEalways:** I aim to please and I'm glad I did. :D

**totally manic:** I'm glad to have a new fan.

**GoGothGirl:** Well... I'm glad you like Michael. He's the reason the whole thing started! And yes, there is a chance Tyler would be an angel without Reid's help, but it's the thought that counts, right? lol

* * *

I'll never forget the first time I saw him. His eyes were dark and tired and he looked like he was fighting with himself. There was something haunted about his appearance, like he knew a secret that his sanity couldn't bear alone, but he couldn't share with anyone else. At least, that was the impression I got when he sat down at the table across from mine in that little diner. I remember our eyes met and he offered me a tired smile. I couldn't help but smile back.

He was there again, two days later when I returned to the diner for breakfast again.

"Would you mind if I join you?" I was surprised that my voice didn't shake.

He looked up at me and motioned to the empty chair across from him. I wasn't entirely sure of what to say at this point. I'd never dreamed ofdoing anything like this. I was beginnig to panic. I mean, what the hell was I thinking, walking up to someone I don't know and asking if I could eat breakfast with them?

"Do you believe that there are people who are punished for the wrong reasons?" He asked slowly.

Not his name, no questioning why I sat with him... Just that question, spoken in a relativel soft voice.

"I...I suppose there are people who are punished for the wrong reasons."

He just nodded and started doodling on a spiral notebook I hadn't really noticed before. The way he was treating the doodles, it almost seemed like he was writing, but it was no language that I had ever seen before. I suddenly felt like I was intruding and turned my attention elsewhere. He didn't say anything until the food was dropped off.

"Picture this. There's a country at war with itself and there are people that don't like the way the country is run, but they don't like the ideals of the rebellion, so they sit the fence. The original government resumes control of this...war-torn country... and they punish the people who were sitting the fence. How fucked up do you think that is?"

I thought about it for half a second.

"I think it's pretty fucked up."

"Now picture that the rebels have managed to carve a little place for themselves out of this larger country. The people who sat the fence lost their status as welcome members of the main country, but that's where their loyalties lie so they're not welcome with the rebellion, nor would they ever cast their lot with them. What home is left to them?" His eyes seem more hurt and angry now than tired and wary.

"And I saw the dead, the great and the small, and no home was left to them. They were judged according to their deeds and anyone's name not found in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." I sighed.

He raised an eyebrow at me before his expression turned suspicious.

"The Silent Hill movie taught me the only scripture I can remember." I shrugged. I blushed too.

He seemed to find that amusing, but he said nothing else. He didn't speak another word to me before he left, except to argue with me when I insisted on paying for my breakfast and his. I won. Like ususal.

"I think that, perhaps, we should do this again?" He seemed unsure.

"And when would you like for that to happen?"

"Same time tomorrow?" He shrugged.

"I'd love to, erm... I don't think I caught your name." I frowned.

"Chase. Collins." He smiled.

"Caleb Danvers."

We had breakfast every day for almost a month, each time with minimal conversation that was peppered with his bitter hypothetical situations. I eventually broke down and demanded to know why he kept asking me these questions.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." He shook his head.

"You'd be surprised."

He didn't say anything else to me, but at the end of our meal, he handed me a slip of paper with an address on it and told me to meet him there after sunset.

The address belonged to what was a church at one point. It was charred and I remembered seeing it on the news going up in smoke. No one was ever really sure what had caused the fire, but it had demolished the building and no one had the heart to tear it down or the desire to rebuild it. He was standing there in the rubble, his dark pants and leather jacket blending in with the darkness. I picked my way through the rubble to him.

He turned to me, his eyes no longer the stormy blue I loved to drown in when he wasn't watching. They were, of all fucking colors, violet. Violet and glowing.

"You can still turn back now. You can still go." He whispered.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and shook my head. I ignored how shaky his whisper was, how his eyes looked half-crazed and half-suicidal. I needed to know why he was so broken.

Chase shook his head and shrugged off his jacket. I bit my tongue when I realized he wasn't wearing anything under the jacket. He doubled over at the waist suddenly and I took a step forward, thinking he was hurt. That's when I saw his back... It was like there was a pissed off animal under his skin trying to break free. The skin was quickly darkening to a black color and then it seemed his skin was growing transparent, but that would only be possible if he had black feathers instead of shoulder blades. When his wings broke free of the skin and he stood up, all violet eyes, pale skin and raven-colored wings, I fell to my knees, convinced I had been eating breakfast with a literal angel.

"Get off your damn knees. I'm nothing to marvel at."

I didn't move, didn't respond to his command. I continued to stare up at him. He tooke a few steps towards me. The feahers moved slightly in the gentle breeze as he loomed over me.

"You're an angel." I whispered.

"_Was_ an angel. But when Lucifer started his little war and I decided to not get involved, I was thrown out with the rest of them. Kicked out of heaven and barred from hell, I'm stuck here." He smiled sadly.

"Is there no way for you to go back?"

"Not that I know of."

"So you're stuck here forever."

"Pretty much." Chase sighed, walking away and flopping down on a mildewed and charred pew.

I shakily pushed myself to my feet and walked over to where the was sitting.

"Have you been alone for all of this time?" I asked him.

"I've not found anyone who I could trust with my secret." He sent me a meaningful look and it wasn't wasted.

"I want to spend eternity with you." I murmured.

"You don't want that. I'll be stuck here forever. No afterlife for me." He was bitter.

"So? If Heaven is perfect, then there's no adventure. And Hell sounds like it's a little too hot for my tastes. Earth has adventure _and_ moderate climates." I smiled.

I managed to make him laugh and I wanted to record the sound and play it over and over again. His laugh was beatiful.

He stood up, his wings flapping gently as he moved. We stood there for a moment before his hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. He jerked me forward and I stumbled forward, crashing against his warm chest. He put a finger under my chin and made me look u at him. He lowered his head slightly and kissed me. I heard rustling and I could feel his wings wrapping around us. He broke the kiss too soon for my liking and all I could see was him and a canopy of feathers. I knew, in that moment, that I would take a fallen and disgraced angel over any other kind any day, especially this one.


	36. Picture Show

**A/N:** This is a pairing I've not done before. It was just something that I decided to do, just for funzies. THE MOVIE MENTIONED IN THE STORY IS A REAL MOVIE. COOKIES AND MILK TO ANYONE WHO CAN CORRECTLY GUESS WHAT THE FILM IS. And to eliminate the possibility of using Google or some other such method, I've kept the scenes vague. :D

**StoicCrying:** I'm glad you thought it beautiful. And I'll try to go back to updating regularly once my muse decides to stop being such a bastard. -_-'

**CoverGirlxx:** I'm a firm believer in the philosophy that states the only thing better than yaoi and cookie dough (or cookies, as the case may be) would be Ben and Jerry's ice cream with such wonderful movies as The Breakfast Club and similar titles. :D

**bloOd StaiNed Rose: **Yes... After looking over some of the previous oneshots in this collection, I realized that it's usually better to go with a TOUCH of angst. XD

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I'm glad you liked it.

**raven2547: **Yes, I was kinda pulling on my love of Dogma to help that one along. Cookies and milk and 100 internets to you for recognizing awesomeness!

**Lil Kitsune-chan:** Yes, falling down the stairs is a hell of a way to end the year, lol. I'm glad you found the fic beautiful. :)

* * *

He never liked horror movies. His imagination was overactive as it was. The last thing he needed was some new breed of monster to manifest itself within the vivid confines of the Realm of What If. Which did not explain why he was buried in the cushions of a very soft couch in a very dark room watching a very scary movie. Or, very scary to him. He was more into commecy films than anything else. And yet there he was, watching some lady wander through amaze of chainlink fence with the creepiest music ever playing. He blanched when he saw the lady nearly run into a STILL LIVING BODY that had been cut in half at the waist, its entrails touching the ground several feet below. A comforting arm was thrown around his shoulders, but he still hid his eyes when an army of twisted and deformed child-like creatures looking like the flames of Hell were burning within their twisted vissages attacked the woman.

"You okay?"

Tyler looked up at his tormentor with angry eyes.

"You know I hate this shit." Tyler growled. He swiped at Chase as the older teen kissed the tip of his nose.

"So why are you watching it?" Chase asked with a smile.

"Because I wanna spend time with yo and you're out here." Tyler admitted.

Tyler hid his eyes frequently through the movie. There were scenes of people being eaten alive by gigantic bug-things, a woman getting her SKIN RIPPED OFF by some guy in a messed up butcher's apron with a head made of metal, a character with bowed legs and no arms spewing acid from a hole in his chest, people being burned alive... Tyler felt he wasn't going to sleep for the next week.

"You gonna be able to sleep?" Chase asked with a smirk.

"You know damn well that I can never sleep after this shit." Tyler huffed.

Chase smiled down at Tyler.

"What?" Tyler squeaked.

Chase got off the couch and lifted the small teen into his arms. Tyler squirmed and fought as Chase carried him through the pitch-dark hallways of the Simms Mannor, each hallway seeming to get progressively darker. Chase pushed open the door to Tyler's room, smiling to himself a little as the younger teen whimpered at the sight of the darkened bedroom. He knew his way around Tyler's room, could navigate it with his eyes closed. He carefully dropped Tyler onto the bed. He could hear Tyler trying to burrow into his mattress. Chase flicked open his lighter and Tyler didn't know whether to feel relieved that there was light in the room, or horrified because it didn't illuminate enough and the shadows were threatening to wreak havoc on his imagination.

Chase carefully made his way around the room, lighting candles as he went. He wasn't entirely sure why Tyler like them so much, but he figured he might as well take advantage of it. Tyler watched him, slowly growing more comfortable with his familiar surroundings as more light was added to the situation. Chase stopped by the foot of the bed and smiled at Tyler. The younger teen found his fear returning.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" He demanded shakily.

Chase slowly pulled his shirt off and threw it across the room. He climbed onto the bed where Tyler lay and set to work on removing the younger teen's shirt. Tyler got the idea, and he was grateful for the distraction. Something told him that this was Chase's plan the whole time, but it was a little late now. He felt Chase's lips on his shoulder, neck, collarbone, chest... Tyler quietly moaned Chase's name.

"Is there something you want, darling?" Chase smirked.

"You. It's you I want." Tyler moaned.

Some part of Chase knew he was taking advantage of the situation, taking advantage of Tyler looking for a distraction, but he couldn't be bothered with his concious at the moment. All that mattered was the feeling of being inside Tyler, hearing his lover pant and moan...

Chase was very good at his job of making sure Tyler was pushed to the brink of ecstasy and then pulled back before he was allowed his release. Part of Chase enjoyed the bit of good-natured sadism (Tyler did admit that it made the whole experience better), and the rest of him knew that when they both finally finished, Tyler would be too exhausted to jump at shadows and have nightmares.

Chase lay awake for close to thirty minutes, watching Tyler sleep peacefully. He gently pushed Tyler's sweat-matted hair away from his face. He knew there were other ways to get his boyfriend to have sex with him, but it was always better when Tyler was so thoroughly involved and the bes way to do that was to make it the only thing he wanted to focus on. He laughed to himself at his own twisted thoughts before his eyes flashed black and all the light in the room went out.


	37. Don't Trust Me

**A/N:** Sorry this one took so long to churn out. I am now an official resident of Maryland and i took me forever to get everything unpacked. -_-'

**StoicCrying:** Yes. Yes it was Silent Hill. :D I have such an obsession with the game series/movie.

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** It's alright. I'm the only person in my family that likes horror movies. I discovered that my new cable company has a free horror movie on demand channel and I flipped out. XD

**CoverGirlxx:** I tried to keep Chase in character and that sentence just seemed to fit.

**bloOd StaiNed Rose:** I'm glad you liked the pairing. It was something that I hadn't done since it was requested and I really liked the idea of Chase tormenting someone with a horror movie, and Tyler was the only loigical choice, lol.

**raven2547: **Not The Mummy. Silent Hill. But nice guess. :D

**beginningxofxthexend: **-sifts through pages of reviews. Clears throat- Well, I'm, uh, I'm glad you liked the collection so far. As for the poems... I wrote poetry before I wrote stories, so making those work was easy enough. And all the angsty fics were written during a time when I was very angsty. (One of my friends enlisted in the Army, my other friend enlisted in the Navy, and two of my "brothers" went to college on a military scholarship, meaning they're not far behind on heading off to some God-forsaken country) For the ReidxChase pairing, my idea was to make you wonder what the two rebels of the group would do together, ;) The chapter where everyone was prego was somethng I decided to do for no apparent reason. I just sat down on my bed sometime during the Witching Hours (that's usually when I tend to write, lol) and I was like, "Dude. Everyone needs to have a baby." XD And as for your aversion to het... I never meant to give you an odd image about me and my ex-Koi. But the question people ask me the most (especially my friends that read this crap) is always "Where the fuck did you come up with that?" So when there's a definite place where it came from, I just like to give a little heads-up on that. The whole "God vs. Satan plus the Middle Men" was an idea I nicked from the movie "Dogma". It's a commedy with Jay, Silent Bob, Matt Damon and Ben Afflec. It kinda pokes fun at the Chatholic theology, but it's all in good fun. Whew! I haven't had a review marathon like that since Marcus reviewed last! Thanks for your feedback!

**_

* * *

Black dress with the tights underneath_**

**_I've got the breath of a last cigarette on my teeth._**

**_He's an actor, but he ain't got no need._**

**_He's got money from his parents in a trust fund back east._**

He was certainly something to look at. Clearly flaunting everything he knew he had going for him. He could have passed for a girl, if he tried a little harder. As it stood, he was just highlighting every feminine feature he had, his narrow waist, nice hips, come-hither eyes outlined with a bit of dark eyeliner... He gave me a once-over with those eyes before throwing a smirk my way and turning his attention to someone else. He's sitting on the guy's lap, but it's hard to tell if he's trying to make me jealous or genuinely involved with that wanna-be Ken doll... He sends another look my way and it's now obvious that the little prick, sweet Mr. Simms, is trying to make me jealous. So I do the only thing that seems logical. I grabbed the first passing girl, a petite little thing with hair the color of copper and eyes a baby blue. Her lips tasted like vodka. Tyler looked hurt and disappointed. Prima Donnas can't _always_ get what they want. I just return that smirk he sent me earlier.

**_T-t-tongues always pressed to your cheeks_**

**_While my tongue is on the back of some other girl's teeth._**

**_Tell your boyfriend, if he says he's got beef,_**

**_That I'm a vegetarian and I ain't fuckin' scared of him._**

Tyler's friend sent me a dark look and I blew him a kiss, walking out of the little gathering area and into the cool night air. I lit another cigarette and took a long drag. There was a commotion coming from inside and it seemed the main event was about to start. I sighed and walked back into the club. I held out my hands and smelled the sharp marker reek as the bouncer scrawled on the backs of them. I nodded at him and continued in. I flicked what was left f my cigarette into some dark corner and made my way to the men's restroom. I pulled an alcohol pad from my pocket, the kind they use in doctors offices, and swiped them quickly across my hands, smirking to myself at my own ingenuity. I pushed by someone as they were entering the bathroom and I was on my way out. There was a band playing and their lead singer was _very_ attractive.

**_He wants to touch me woah-oh_**

**_He wants to love me woah-oh_**

**_He'll never leave me woah-oh, woah-oh, oh, oh._**

**_Don't trust a ho, never a trust a ho._**

**_Won't trust a ho, 'cos the ho won't trust me._**

He walks around like he's hot shit. Like he knows what he does to everyone. Some part of me wishes he'd piss off and leave humanity alone. The rest of me knows that if I were to show up to one of these concerts and Reid weren't here, it would be like the end of the world. Maybe I was taking it too far with Alastair, but I didn't kiss him like Reid kissed that girl.

"I can't believe I'm getting jealous over her! She was just some drunken tramp and a way for Reid to get under my skin. Bastard knows just what buttons to push. I wonder if that applies to more than just pissing me off... No! No thinking like that!" I growled at my reflection. I smudged up my eyeliner a touch and opened the door to the bathroom, a wall of music crashing over me.

And there he was, trading a coy smirk with the singer of that band. Reid Garwin, bagging another singer for his collection. He always did go for the pretty boys... I shook it off and got lost in the music.

**_X's on the back of your hands._**

**_Washed off in the bathroom to drink like the bands._**

**_And the set-list you stole from the stage_**

**_Has red and purple lipstick all over the page._**

I managed to bump into him while everyone was thrashing around. He smiled down at me and he had that familiar glassy look in his eyes. He'd had at least a few to drink. I knew what he was doing when I walked into the bathroom. There was no mistaking what he was doing. What he'd been doing at least since he showed up in California a year ago. A few days after I did. I smiled back up at him and shoved through the crowd, trying to put some distance between us. But I didn't mistake the security guy slipping Reid that hotel room key with a nod towards the shaggy-haired bastard that was coming back on stage with his band for an encore.

Reid looked over at me and I turned away, headed back to the bathroom where it was quieter.

**_B-b-bruises cover your arms._**

**_Shaking in the fingers with the bottle in your palm._**

**_And the best is, no one knows who you are,_**

**_Just another boy alone at the bar._**

The concert was over and the groupies were being herded back to the holding cell with the band. Everyone sensible was leaving. Except for him. Except for Reid. He was sitting at the bar when I walked up. I sat down next to him and asked for a Coke.

"Shouldn't you be back there fucking Yuri's brains out?" I asked sarcastically.

"Any guy who would give in that easily is probably diseased." Reid sighed. I was surprised to note that is words weren't slurred.

"That's not nice."

"Neither am I."

"I'm sure you are." I smiled at him.

He laughed and the lights in the club came up a little brighter as the cleaning crew got to work. I looked him over and saw scrapes and bruises on his arms and sighed. That's what happened when you spent the whole concert in the Pit. I looked him over again and when my eyes made it back to his face, I realized he was watching me.

"Why don't you come back to my place so I can fix you up?" I suggested coyly.

Reid raised an eyebrow and downed the last of whatever was in that glass of his before gesturing for me to lead the way. I smiled and took his hand.

**_He wants to touch me, woah-oh._**

**_He wants to love me, woah-oh._**

**_He'll never leave me woah-oh, oh, oh._**

**_Don't trust a ho, never trust a ho._**

**_Won't trust a ho, 'cos the ho won't trust me._**

His skin was every bit as soft as you might think. Flawless. Smooth. Perfect. And that was just his hand. I followed him outside, out to his car. He pushed me into the passenger seat and started the car before I could remember that _my _car was parked out there somewhere. I decided to not say anything and just go with it. To be honest, I was a little scared that saying anything at this point would snap him out of whatever funk he was in that was making him act this way. I could blame it on sexual frustration or a driving need to get laid all I want, but that doesn't change the fact that I _know_ he's the reason I made my way to the west coast, the reason I left everything. Because Baby Boy left. Because he got the hell out of Dodge before I could tell him that I loved him. Because I wasn't ballsy enough to face the possibility of rejection.

His apartment was smaller tha what I expected it to be. I half expected him to have some huge mansion all to himself. Not a moderately-sized flat. Though his bed was anything _but_ moderately-sized. He leaned against one of the bedposts and stared at me as I gawked in the doorway.

"You gonna come over here or just stand there all night?" He asked me.

The most beautiful thing I've ever seen was Tyler laying flat on his back, arms tied above him, panting my name.

**_Shush boy, shut your lips._**

**_Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips._**

**_I said shush boy, shut your lips._**

**_Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips._**

**_I said shush boy, shut your lips._**

**_Do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips._**

Tyler moaned softly and arched his back. Reid's skin was glowing a faint gold in the dim lamplight thrown across the bedroom. The blonde's rhythm was steady and sheer ecstasy.

"Reid." Tyler whispered.

Reid kissed Tyler's soft lips and pushed deeper into Tyler.

"Oh, God!" Tyler yelled.

Reid violently kissed Tyler. "You talk too fucking much." He growled.

Tyler pouted up at Reid and the blond smirked down at him. Tyler screamed wordlessly and Reid sighed softly. Reid watched the little star gasp and moan under him, his skin shimmering with a thin sheen of sweat. He tugged at the ropes around his wrists, burning to feel Reid's skin under his fingers. Reid's tongue trailed down Tyler's jaw, across his throat, down his chest. Tyler let out a low, keening moan and Red responded with a moan of his own. Tyler struggled for air. His moans were getting in the way of his oxygen supply. Reid took that as a good sign and kept going.

**_He wants to touch me, woah-oh._**

**_He wants to love me, woah-oh._**

**_He'll never leave me, woah-oh, woah-oh, oh, oh._**

**_Don't trust a ho, never trust a ho._**

**_Won't trust a ho, 'cause the ho won't trust me._**

Tyler's low moans were soon turning to screams and yells. He was yelling Reid's name and the blond hoped the walls to the apartment were thick enough to protect the virgin ears of any of Baby Boy's neighbors. Reid marveled at the smooth skin beneath him, running his hands across Tyler's pale chest and abdomen. He was beginning to moan right along with Tyler, finding his own breathing painfully shortened.

"R-Reid... Oh God, Reid..." Tyler gasped.

Reid kissed down Tyler's neck and moaned against the boy's fiery hot skin. Tyler's back arched again and Reid knew that Tyler was going to hit the point of no return. He smirked down at the brunette and gently kissed his lips.

**_He wants to touch me, woah-oh._**

**_He wants to love me, woah-oh._**

**_He'll never leave me, woah-oh, woah-oh, oh, oh._**

**_Don't trust a ho, never trust a ho._**

**_Won't trust a ho, 'cause the ho won't trust me._**

Tyler woke up with Reid's arms around him. He was sore and his wrists were rubbed raw from thos damn ropes. There were multiple hickeys on his neck, chest... He stretched gently and felt Reid's grip on his waist tighten. He was pulled closer to Reid's chest and he giggled a little.

"Something funny?" Reid asked sleepily.

"You're treating me like a teddy bear." Tyler smiled.

"So? I think I earned that privledge after everything I did for you last night." Reid smirked.

Tyler blushed ad swatted at him. Reid chuckled and buried his face in the crook of Tyler's neck.

"Stop moving so I can get some sleep." Reid murmured.

"Why do you need sleep?" Tyler asked.

"Because out of the five times we had sex last night, I was the only one doing any work."

"Because you left me tied to the bed."

"I couldn't trust you to not try and slip away." Reid smirked.

Tyler laughed.


	38. Silhouette Serenade

**A/N:** Sorry, sorry. I know this has taken a hella long time to put out, and it's not the best and yes, it is, unfortunately, another song-fic. My computer shit the bed. Again. As it stands, my brother is pitching a bitch fit because I'm using his. As soon as my computer gets back, I'll be updating again with a little more regularity. :D Love to my reviewers!!

**StoicCrying:** I'm really glad you liked the song. It's one of my favorites. As is this one. :D

**raven2547: **There doesn't need to be a reason for me to want to watch Dogma. Aside from Matt Damon. But we won't speak of that. XD

**blo0d StaiNed Rose: **Wow. I thought that one was one of my better ones, but I didn't think it was my _best_. Thanks so much for your positivity. I really needed it. :D

**beginningxofxthexend: **Don't be ashamed of reviewing so much. I rather enjoyed it. Your new point of view keeps me on my toes. And your curiosity towards Dogma will be well rewarded. :D

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire: **Glad you loved it. Here's another warm one for you. :)

* * *

Reid growled lowly in sheer frustration. There was another cryptic message left in his locker. Some secret admirer. He knew that it wasn't Kira looking for another good humping just to get back at Aaron for someting stupid. He knew that handwriting by this point in his life and she was never good at being cryptic. He wasn't sure who it was. It didn't look like the typical girly handwriting, where the letters all looked the same and ran together and a paragraph took up an entire page. So he was left to wonder who was leaving him those letters. Written on bone-colored stationary with what was either a very expensive fountain pen or an old-fashioned quill pen and the ink was a dark blue.

Reid carefully re-folded the note and tucked it into his back pocket before kicking the dorm room door open. Tyler was sitting at the desk, sketching something for his art class.

"Something the matter?" Tyler asked, the faintest hint of a smile touching his lips.

"Another damn letter." Reid sighed, throwing his bag onto the bed

"Does this whole mess bother you because you just wanna hurry up and get laid, or because you can't figure out who it is?" Tyler asked, putting down his charcoal pencil and turning the swively chair to face Reid.

"It bothers me because I don't know who it is. I want to know who they are and how they know so much about me."

"So it's curiosity that fuels you." Tyler smirked again.

"Curiosity, yeah." Reid nodded, laying back on his bed and staring at the ceiling.

**_The last thing I wanna do right now is read your stupid poetry._**

**_Why can't you just tell me what you really wanna say?_**

**_You'd clear you conscience with words so weak and empty._**

**_But something in your eyes gave you away._**

"What if I told you I knew who the person was." Tyler said suddenly.

Reid sat up and looked at the brunette.

"You know who's leaving me these messages?" Reid asked.

"I might have an idea." Tyler shrugged.

"Tell me who it is!" Reid demanded.

"What's in it for me?" Tyler asked.

Reid wracked his brain for a moment.

"We'll go see that new movie." Reid said finally.

"Who's paying?" Tyler asked.

"I'll pay." Reid grumbld.

Tyler grinned. He loved horror movies. He kinda liked feeling afraid. It somehow made him feel alive. But the only way he'd watch them in a dark theater, or any dark room for that matter, was to watch it first with someone else. Tyler grabbed his jacket and pulled on a pair of shoes.

"Let's go." Tyler said happily.

"You want to go now?"

"Well, it'll be dark by the time we actually get there, and there's no better time to watch a spooky movie."

Reid sighed and smiled gently before agreeing.

"Why don't we take my car this time?" Reid suggested.

Tyler's grin grew slightly and he grabbed Reid's arm, pulling him from the dorm. There was something about a vintage Camero that sounded amazing to Tyler. Reid smiled to himself. There was something about Tyler's touch that made thought completely overrated.

**_And I've been lonely like a silhouette or a serenade,_**

**_A heart attack or a man betrayed._**

**_The arms of love have been holding me like a silhouette or a serenade._**

True to his word, Reid paid for the tickets and the sodas. Tyler grabbed Reid's hand and pulled him through the theater to the row all the way in the back, right in the center. Tyler, for a moment, forgot that he was holding onto Reid's hand. They sat down and Tyler realized he was still holding Reid's hand.

"Fuck. Sorry." Tyler muttered with a blush as he pulled his hand away. Reid noticed that there was a faint tingling sensation in his hand, like little sparks of electricity clinging to his skin long after Tyler's hand left his. He pushed the thought away and placed his hand in his lap.

Tyler gulped at his soda and mentally berrated himself for having let that contact run on for so long. It was too soon to tell Reid the truth. Especially the whole truth. He closed his eyes for a long second and waited for the movie to start. There was a warm hand on his shoulder and Tyler's eyes flew open.

"The movie's starting Baby Boy. Don't tell me you plan on sleeping thorugh it." Reid smirked.

"Nah. Just...Just thinking." Tyler's smile was forced and Reid knew it.

Reid's hand lingered on his friend's shoulder for a few moments longer than necessary before grudgingly taking his hand away. The movie was slow to start, but the moment the ghosts started making an appearance, Tyler was grabbing at Reid's hand. Reid was glad for the contact. For a little while, he wasn't thinking about the movie or the secret admirer that was leaving strange letters and prose in his locker. It was jsut him and Tyler in a dark room. He looked over at the brunette who was cowering in the seat and Reid smiled. He moved his soda to a different holder and lifted the armrest, allowing Tyler to move closer to him. He wrapped his arms around his friend, pulling the smaller teen closer. For a second, he didn't feel quite so alone.

**_You tell me that you need me, while I slowly fall apart._**

**_You'd heal your heartache with words so cool and callous._**

**_But the absence of your tears gave you away._**

Reid and Tyler remained seated through the credits, waiting for the crowd to clear out of the theater. Reid knew that Tyler was prone to claustrophobia when he was in large crowds. So Reid held the brunette, even though it was no longer necessary for the contact.

"Thanks for watching the movie with me." Tyler smiled. Reid reluctantly released Tyler and the younger teen supressed a shudder at the sudden lack of warmth. He hadn't realized how cold the theater was while Reid was wrapped around him.

Reid gulped what was left of his drink and stood up, stretching as he did. He looked down at Tyler and a small part of him realized that he didn't really want to know who the person leaving him letters was. He wanted to forget about that person, unless it was who he wanted it to be. And that small part of himself that was thinking that was also thinking the person should have been Tyler. The rest of him accepted the fact that leaving it be would be completely out of character for him. And out of character was not something he could afford to be.

He walked out of the theater with Tyler and they said nothing as they passed through the parking lot and towards Reid's car.

"So, uh, who's been leaving me those letters?" Reid asked, hating himself as he did.

"Well, the person dropping them off has been Kate. But she hasn't been writing them." Tyler smiled a bit sadly.

"Who's been writing them?"

"I have a hard time thinking on an empty stomach. Maybe a little food would make it clearer..." Tyler smiled.

Reid chuckled and agreed. He drove them to a little diner and he watched Tyler look out the window. Tyler felt someone watching him and he glanced up, his eyes meeting Reid's.

"What?" Tyler asked with a nervous smile.

"Nothing. Just...thinking." Reid smiled gently.

Tyler gave him a strange look and returned to looking out the window. Reid clenched his jaw and forced his eyes away from Tyler. No matter what he was feeling at that moment, it wasn't right. There was no way Caleb and Pogue would approve of it. There was no way they would let their sweet, innocent Baby Boy be involved with him. Not when he'd worked so hard to be the odd man out. Not when he had worked so hard to give them someone to hate so they wouldn't have to worry about taking it out on eachother. So he had two choices. He could either let himself fall to shreds because he so badly wanted Tyler and had to hold out because of his image, or he could let the entire Covenant fall to shreds because he had to give in to what he wanted.

Reid didn't really taste his food. He was too busy tearing himself to shreds.

**_And I've been lonely like a silhouette or a serenade._**

**_A heart attack, or a man betrayed._**

**_The arms of love have been holding me like a silhouette or a serenade._**

Reid watched Tyler eat, the brunette's eyes continually glued to the window. Reid was still stuck between what he needed to do and what he knew was the right thing to do. He turned his eyes away from Tyler and to his glass. He absently stirrred the ice in his drink and watched it dissolve ever so slowly into his soda.

"Reid?" Tyler asked, worry coloring his eyes.

"Yeah, kid?"

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, kid." Reid said softly, hating himself for trying to put so much distance between the boy he needed.

Tyler sighed to himself and went back to looking out the window. He couldn't face Reid. He wasn't sure just how he was going to survive telling Reid that he'd been the one writing the love letters Kate had been dropping off. He supposed he just had to say it and get it over with and learn to live with whatever happened.

Reid picked up the bill and they started walking to Reid's car.

"So you gonna tell me who's been writing those letters?" Reid asked as they stood by the hood of his Camero.

"You can't laugh or be a prick." Tyler said slowly.

"I won't."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die."

"It was me. The whole time it was me." Tyler said far too quickly. He waited for Reid to respond. When nothing was said and no move was made, Tyler looked away from the asphalt and up at the blond. Reid was smiling down at him.

"What?" Tyler demanded.

Reid reached out and took Tyler's hand, pulling the brunette closer to him. He brushed a kiss over Tyler's lips.

"I love you. So fucking much." Reid whispered with a ragged edge to his voice.

"So let's be together like I want. Like I've always wanted." Tyler pleaded.

"I can't. I became someone to hate because it's what you guys need. There's so much pressure and tension that comes with having this damnable Power. If you ddin't have someone to turn on, you'd turn on eachother. I don't want you exposed to all of that. I'm strong enough to take it. I don't want to tarnish you with all of this." Reid said brokenly.

"I'm stronger than you give me credit for." Tyler insisted.

"That's what your letters suggest." Reid laughed, a bittersweet laugh.

"So then trust me."

"You're the only person I've ever trusted. But you have to trust me when I say that if I think that this is going to damage you in any way, I will end it. End it to protect you. No matter what it does to me. I have to protect you." Reid's words were wavering.

"I know, I know. I love you." Tyler purred. He wrapped his arms around Reid's neck and kissed the blond's lips.

**_And all pretty poems have to end._**

**_So I'll say this before I leave._**

**_If words are your weapons my dear, I surrender, I surrender._**

Reid wrapped his fingers around Tyler's dark hair, pulling him closer. Reid smiled to himself and gladly lost himself in the feeling, in the electricity that slithered across Tyler's lips, that worked its way through all of Tyler's soft skin. Reid's teeth closed around Tyler's lower lip and the smaller teen whimpered, grabbing handfuls of Reid's shirt and pulling them painfully closer together. Reid's crushing grasp was the most beautiful thing Tyler had ever felt.

When they finally made their way into Reid's car and finaly got back to the dorms, their lips were swollen and there was no doubt in Reid's mind that it had been Tyler writing all of those eletters, both hopelesly romantic and painfully passionate. And he was glad he'd chosen to give in to what he needed and not what he thought.

**_Silhouette or a serenade._**

**_A heart attack or a man betrayed._**

**_The arms of love have been holding me to you._**


	39. Interwebz

**A/N:** Okay. I know Ima have some people asking about the screen names. Chupathingie is a reference to a web series called "RVB" or "Red versus Blue". It's a Halo thing. XD One of the guys is asking about the Chupacabra and he calls it the "Chupathingie". I lol-ed my pants. XD And FriendlyFire is also from RVB. There's one character that always manages to somehow kill his teammates. And guess what I was watching while this idea was being formulated!!! lol. And now a word to my reviewers.... And I know this one came out pretty quick, but my computer is still messed up, and I'm typing this while I'm at work. -sweatdrop- It's my dad's company and I'm just temping, so it's good. :D lol

**blo0d StaiNed Rose:** Yeahhh. Cute is what I was going for. :)

**beginningxofxthexend:** Coming up with the story isn't that hard, once I have an idea for a scenario. That one happened kinda by accident. I was playing a videogame and that song came on through the soundtrack and I was like... "Don't wanna read your stupid poetry... Sounds like something Reid would say. But prolly not to Tyler 'cos they're in love....Unless Reid didn't know the poem was Tyler's...Cos Ty's playing coy.... IDEA!!!!!" lol. With Reid's characterization, it only seemed logical, you know? Why else would he do everything he could to make everyone else hate him? :) And I make it a point to give a shout-out to my reviewers. It's nice to know that the author isn't just glancing over them and deleting them from their email account. You should see my inbox. I've still got most (if not all) of the reviews I've gotten from this site. XD I now give you another oneshot to sit back, relax, and enjoy. :)

* * *

**Chupathingie: **You ever wonder what would happen if zombies attacked?

**Chupathingie: **Reid?

**FriendlyFire:** Where in the hell did that come from?

**Chupathingie:** Iono. What would you do?

**FriendlyFire:** ...

**Chupathingie**: Well?

**FriendlyFire**: You really want a serious answer?

**Chupathingie**: Why would I ask for anything less????? Tell me dammit!!!!!!

**FriendlyFire**: I guess I'd get to the nearest shopping mall and hole up there. -shrug-

**Chupathingie**: ... Like they did in Dead Rising?

**FriendlyFire**: DAMN IT TYLER!!!!! DON'T COMPARE MY BRILLIANT MASTER PLAN TO SOME CHEAP VIDEOGAME!!! THERE WOULD BE NO ROOM FOR PSYCHOTIC OLD LADIES INTENT ON KILLING US ALL OVER A STUPID FRIKKIN POODLE!!!!

**Chupathingie:** Someone's touchy. -pout-

**FriendlyFire:** What about you?

**Chupathingie:** Well... First I'd stock up my house with non-perishable food and bottled water and the necessities for life...

**FriendlyFire:** Assuming you have the time.

**Chupathingie: **...Reid.

**FriendlyFire:** What?

**Chupathingie:** You of all people should know that there is _always _time for food.

**FriendlyFire:** ...point taken. And then what?

**Chupathingie:** Then I'd board up all the windows, barricade the doors, that kinda stuff.

**FriendlyFire:** Okay. Good so far.

**Chupathingie:** Then I'd make my way to the fourth floor, destroying staircases as I go so the undead can't follow me of course.

**FriendlyFire:** Of course.

**Chupathingie:** ...Just because we're not talking face-to-face doesn't mean I can't detect your sarcasm.

**FriendlyFire:** I didn't mean it sarcastically.

**Chupathingie:** I'm sure you didn't.

**FriendlyFire:** And after you make it to the fourth floor?

**Chupathingie:** I'd survive as long as I could up there and then I'd have to...

**FriendlyFire:** Have to...? What?

**FriendlyFire:** Tyler? Do what?!?!

**FriendlyFire: **GODDAMNIT TYLER!!!!! :0

**Chupathingie:** Sorry about that. Went to get a sandwich from the kitchen. :D

**FriendlyFire:** -_-'

**Chupathingie:** ANYWHO!!! I'd have to venture outside, see if I could get some more supplies. Of course that would be nearly impossible.

**FriendlyFire:** Everyone else who wasn't so prepared would have looted everything by now, right?

**Chupathingie:** Precisely, Padawan. :)

**FriendlyFire:** Of course, Master. -bows-

**Chupathingie:** And then I'd probably head north.

**FriendlyFire:** ...Farther north than Mass?

**Chupathingie:** Of course my horse.

**FriendlyFire:** ...Like... Alaska north?

**Chupathingie:** Mmhmm. Alaska...The final frontier...At least on Earth...

**FriendlyFire:** ...Like in Residen Evil: Extinction?

**Chupathingie:** GODDAMNIT REID!!! DON'T COMPARE MY MASTER SCHEME TO SOME CHEAP HORROR MOVIE!!! THERE WOULD BE NO ROOM FOR RETARDED, FLAT-CHESTED WENCHES LIKE MILA JOJO-BITCH!!!!!

**FriendlyFire:** I love you.

**Chupathingie:** ... huh?

**FriendlyFire:** You were angry at me. I can't have you angry with me.

**Chupathingie: **Because that would hurt your feelings.

**FriendlyFire:** ...No!

**Chupathingie:** ...YES!!!

**FriendlyFire:** ... T_T

**Chupathingie:** Fuck. Now I feel bad. :(

**FriendlyFire:** I am so win. :D

**Chupathingie:** You are so asshole. :(

**FriendlyFire:** If it makes any difference, I really do love you. -blush-

**FriendlyFire:** Ty?

**FriendlyFire:** Baby Boy?

**Chupathingie:** Are you just playing with me again?

**FriendlyFire:** Would you like for it to be a joke?

**Chupathingie:** I want to know if you're being serious.

**FriendlyFire:** Completely and totally serious.

**Chupathingie:** If it makes any difference, I've loved you for years.

**Chupathingie:** Reid?

**Chupathingie:** Are you still there?

**Chupathingie:** Stop messing around.

**Chupathingie:** Fuck off then!!! I should have known it was just a fucking joke.

**Chupathingie: **You are such a fucking asshole.

**FriendlyFire:** Woah!!!! Chill out!!!!

**Chupathingie:** Give me one damn good reason why I should chill out!

**FriendlyFire:** Because Mom was bellowing from the other room and you know how she gets when she's been drinking...

**FriendlyFire:** But back to more important matters... It wasn't a joke. I really do love you.

**FriendlyFire:** The thing is...I don't love you like Caleb and Pogue do. They're your "brothers". I don't wanna be your "brother". I wanna know you in a way they don't.

**Chupathingie:** ...

**FriendlyFire:** I'm not kidding, Ty.

**Chupathingie:** What exactly are you asking, Reid?

**FriendlyFire:** I want you to be mine. Just mine.

**Chupathingie:** What if I don't want to be yours? What if I want you to be mine?

**FriendlyFire:** Fine. I'm yours. You can have me.

**Chupathingie:** Would you be this romantic if Caleb and Pogue were in the room? If they were looking over your shoulder?

**FriendlyFire:** Yes.

**Chupathingie:** Don't lie to me, Reid.

**FriendlyFire:** I'm not lying. I don't give a damn what they think. If you want me to wear a sign around my neck that says "Property of Tyler Eric Simms", I'd do it. But only for you.

**Chupathingie:** ...

**Chupathingie:** So if I were to take you up on that offer, not the sign thing (that'll prolly come later ;D), but you being mine, you'd really go with it?

**FriendlyFire:** Fuck yeah I would.

**Chupathingie:** Good. You can pick me up around seven then.

**FriendlyFire:** For what? -is confused-

**Chupathingie:** Well... You remember that movie about the apocalypse I was telling you about? I just wish someone would take me to it. But I'm busy until later tonight, like... seven or so... and I don't have much time to eat before then...So I'd probably have to get something to eat sometime either before or after the movie...

**FriendlyFire:** Tyler, could you do me a favor?

**Chupathingie:** What?

**FriendlyFire:** Don't make any plans around seven tonight. We're going to go see that new movie about the apocalypse. And then I'm taking you to dinner. And from there...We'll just have to see. ;)

**Chupathingie:** What should I wear?

**FriendlyFire:** Well...If I had my way...and the laws were no problem... You'd wear nothing. But since the laws are a problem, meaning I can't get my way...wear whatever you want, babe. You look good in anything.

**Chupathingie: **-blushblush-

**FriendlyFire:** lol. I have to go. There's some stuff that I have to take care of before I can go out tonight. Another problem with my damn car. -_-'

**Chupathingie:** Damn. That sucks.

**FriendlyFire:** It's no big deal. I'll see you at seven.

**Chupathingie:** Kay.

**FriendlyFire:** And Tyler...

**Chupathingie:** Reid?

**FriendlyFire:** I love you.

**Chupathingie:** Love you too. :heart:


	40. RECON

**PLEASE READ THIS!!! IT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE STORY!!!: **This is another ficlet inspired by my video-gamey-ness. On Halo 3, you can change the armor style of your character and one of the most coveted armor styles is called Recon and you have to go through this whole long process before you can get it. One of the prerequisites is that you complete the "VidMaster Challenges".The hardest one is called "Annual Challenge". You have to defeat the final level (one of the hardest) on the highest difficulty, with the "Iron Skull" turned on (if someone dies, you have to go back to the nearest checkpoint and start over) and when you get to the last part of the level, the ground starts falling apart underneath you and you have to race to the end. You have to do that part in a hover-craft called a Ghost, which isn't all that fast unless you hold down the booster button, and that makes maneuvering almost impossible. You have to have a team of four people complete this on online campaign mode, and yes, it really is hard. I got the Vidmaster: Annual Challenge completed last night. I feel accomplished. :D

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Halo, the weapons, characters, weapons, vehicles, levels or anything like that. If I did, Master Chief's voice would probably be done by Vin Diesel and he would have taken his damn helmet off by now. But, Halo belongs to Bungie so I don't have a say in any of that. XD I also don't own The Covenant or the characters. If I did, the whole movie would be random boy makeouts and at least one of the boys wearing girl clothes. :D

**totally manic: **I'm glad that you loved it. :D

**julliette:** Yes, cute is good.

**StoicCrying:** Tucker's my favorite too. Well, Tucker and Tex. RVB is actually why my nickname is Tex. My brother is convinced I'm a half-woman, half-shark that would kill anyone for money. -_-'

**raven 2547:** ... Sorry to get you yelled at? lol. Next time she does that, tie her to a chair and force her to listen to the whole thing! lol

**beginningxofxthexend:** I try to keep the boys in character as much as possible, unless the whole point is to make them OOC, lol. And my friends and I do sit around and wonder about what we would do if zombies were to attack. We have several lists of different action plans based on where we are when we find out about the outbreak and how much time we have. We are very nerdy peoples. :D And I use the "I Love You" defense quite a lot actually, lol.

**forgetMEalways:** Cool, sweet, and awesomely chatty. :D I had a request to do another chat-style fic a long time ago, but I can't remember what I had for dinner last night, much less an idea for a one shot. That's why I gotta write 'em as soon as I get 'em! XD

* * *

Tyler threw his head back and groaned in frustration. Reid walked through the door in the basement with a sigh. He deposited a brown paper bag full of Chinese food on the small coffee table in front of the white couch where Tyler was sitting and walked back up the stairs. Tyler picked up his XBox controller and lazily aimed his weapon at a teammate before firing.

"That's how you wanna play? It. Is. On." Chase growled through the XBox Live chat headset.

They proceeded to blow eachother up a few times before Reid returned with the energy drinks.

"How long have we even been at this?" Reid asked as he sat down and picked up a controller.

"According to the timer, 145 minutes." Tyler rubbed his eyes and opened a carton of the Chinese food. He picked at the Lo Mein with his chopsticks for a few minutes before actually eating anything.

"Okay, so what's going on?" Caleb asked.

No one said anything for a long moment.

"Hello? Chase, is this thing still turned on?" Caleb yelled.

"We're here. We're just a little surprised." Reid said slowly.

"Surprised?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah. After the ass-kicking you took last time, you swore off Halo." Pogue laughed.

"I'm just hanging out by the 360 until Chase gets back." Caleb pouted.

"Where did he go?" Tyler asked as he blew Pogue up again.

"Pizza place. They said the pizza'd be done by now." Caleb murmured.

Reid turned his character to face Caleb and he laughed as he watched Caleb's character spin in circles and look up and down and experimentally fire a weapon, throw a few grenades and jump. Reid jumped over Caleb and landed behind him before hitting him in the back of the head with an assault rifle.

"I thought we were on the same team!" Caleb protested.

"We are. But this is break time and we're sitting right at a check point. But if you wanna run ahead, guns blazing, and fight those guys on your own, be my guest. I'm gonna sit right here, eat my Chinese food, and keep track of how many times we have to restart because you suck." Reid shrugged.

"Asshole." Caleb muttered.

Tyler started laughing as he looked over at Reid. He raised an eyebrow as the blond removed his headset and moved closer.

"What?" Tyler asked, just low enough so the mic wouldn't pick it up.

Reid just smirked at Tyler. Tyler almost asked him again when Reid grabbed the base of his neck and pulled him close, nipping at the skin on his neck. For a moment, Tyler forgot about the mic being on and he moaned.

"What the fuck was that?" Caleb demanded.

Reid smirked against Tyler's neck. If Caleb would actually play Halo with them on Live, then he'd know that during down-time, like in a pre- or post-game lobby or while waiting on the game to load or whatever, that there would be other activities going on.

Tyler scrambled for the wire leading up to the headset and muted the mic so there would be no more embarrassing moments. What he didn't notice was that Reid turned the mic back on. The next moan went through the mic as well. And the following one. And the next one which sounded exactly like Reid's name.

"Christ! Take it back! Take the fucking headset back!" Caleb whimpered.

Tyler's eyes widened and he pushed Reid away.

"You prick!" Tyler yelled.

"Everyone has been subjected to it except Caleb." Reid shrugged, pulling his own headset back on and moving his character a bit before grabbing a carton of Chinese food.

"From the way Caleb's gone fetal and is clawing at his ears, I take it Reid initiated Caleb into the wonders of Halo Live." Chase sighed.

"Kiss him and make him feel better." Reid shrugged.

"Did I miss anything?" Pogue asked.

"What was the last thing you heard?" Tyler asked.

"Caleb called Reid an asshole. Then I went to the kitchen and started heating up a Lean Cuisine."

"Pogo, stop wasting your money on that shit. Your girlish figure is fine! Stop stressing over carbs and calories." Reid sighed.

"I'm gonna fucking kill you." Pogue said after a long pause.

"You'd have to get through Tyler first. And you know that Tyler is Caleb's favorite. And whenever Caleb fights, whether he needs it or not, Chase is gonna fight with him. So you're gonna have to fight everyone _and_ me." Reid beamed.

"Prick." Pogue muttered.

Reid laughed and there were several minutes of silence while everyone focused on eating.

"How much longer do you think this is gonna take?" Pogue asked.

"Why? Is Kate nagging you again?" Chase asked.

"Pogo, take out the trash. Poguey-poo, feed the fish. Baby, could you paint my nails?" Reid teased in a high-pitched voice.

Chase and Tyler laughed.

"Fuck off." Pogue growled.

"Not too much longer. We just gotta get the driving portion beat. Which wouldn't be so hard if Chase would stop falling off the damn level." Tyler growled.

"It's not my fault." Chase pouted.

"How is it not your fault?" Reid demanded.

"Caleb doesn't fully understand the complexities of Live social interactions and therefore has no grasp on the necessity of aquiring Recon Armor." Chase huffed.

"He's trying to convince you to stop playing and go fuck him silly, isn't he?" Reid said after a pause.

"Of course." Chase grinned.

"At least I have the decency to wait until the mission's been completed." Tyler said with a degree of mock haughtiness.

"Says the kid that makes it a point to moan into the mic while we're in the lobby." Pogue said.

"Talk to Reid about it. He's the one that turns the mic back on." Tyler huffed.

It was a few more minutes of good-natured bickering before they were done eating and playing the level through again. They were at minute marker of 195 when they finally beat the level and were awarded with the notification that they had completed the Vidmaster: Annual Challenge.

"Three hours and fifteen minutes of my life right there." Tyler smiled as he looked at the achievement icon.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Reid asked.

"What?" Tyler asked, turning his attention to the blond.

"It means that we have to celebrate this glorious achievement."

Tyler raised an eyebrow and Reid turned off the XBox and then the TV, ignoring Chase's demand that they play a few rounds in the Lone Wolves (1) section before everyone left. Reid picked Tyler up off the couch, smirking to himself as Tyler instinctively wrapped his legs around his lover's waist. Reid kissed Tyler as he walked them to the bedroom and threw the brunette on the bed.

"We're going to celebrate with sex?" Tyler asked with a sigh.

"Yeah, why?" Reid asked.

"We always celebrate with the same old sex."

Reid grinned at Tyler.

"Remember when I went out shopping and refused to tell you what I bought?" Reid asked with the same ferral grin.

"Yeah?"

Reid held up the contents of the bag.

"Is that chocolate body paint?" Tyler asked.

"Uh huh."

"And is that a military outfit costume?"

"Sure is."

"And champaigne?"

"Mmhmm."

"And strawberries?"

"Yeah."

"This is gonna be one hell of a celebration." Tyler grinned.

"Of course it is. We have 3.25 hours of hard work to make up for." Reid grinned.

* * *

(1) Lone Wolves is a ranked match system. Every man for himself. :D


	41. Cubicles

**A/N:** This is not going to be a ReidxTyler. I know, I know. "Where's ReidxTyler?" The answer is.... DEAD!! JK. I just need to stretch my legs (so to speak) and work with some different pairings and stuff. I promise I'll be back to ReidxTyler soon. Maybe in another chapter or so, kay? Also!! I have a little project in the works, "Into the Dark". It's gonna be a group of Torchwood oneshots, all set to "Into the Dark" by Deathcab for Cutie if you're interested. :D

**forgetMEalways:** I love Halo. I _had_ to include it. Blowing up n00bz has become part of my stress relief regimen, lol.

**CoverGirlxx:** I'm not a hardcore gamer either, but I do enjoy playing a few rounds of Live after work. I try to avoid talking though because apparently girls aren't allowed to play Halo and I sound about three years old over the mic. -_-' It's a little embarrassing, lol.

**blo0d StaiNed Rose: **Everyone has to get picked on sometime. Pogue is no exception to the rule, lol

**raven2547: **I could never really get into Kirby. o.0 I always preferred Zelda. XD

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** Glad you liked it, dear.

**julliette:** I was trying to make the story as entertaining as it actually was for me to play that level with an Irish kid and two kids from the northern east coast of the US. XD

**OEMMA BLACKO:** Yes, it was Silent Hill. The first time I watched that movie, it was midnight, my parents were having a night out and my brother was at a friend's house so I was home alone... I got to the Gray Children and decided it was time to watch Monty Python. XD

**beginningxofxthexend:** Well...I'm glad you liked it. And I do enjoy the "hang out" setting. I personally think that if Caleb is going to be slashed, it should be Chase he's slashed with. They balance eachother so nicely. :D And the "moaning into the mic" thing... It can be pretty damn awkward, especially if you happen to know all the people in your party chat personally. -_-' lol

* * *

Tyler chewed nervously on his lower lip. He'd been working in an office building for six weeks now, and he had a bit of a problem with his work place. There was another brunette that worked in his building, a very, very attractive brunette. Sure his eyes were serious, but that was the mystery. Was he that serious all the time? Did he ever lighten up? Tyler had a feeling he did, and he was damn good at reading people.

"You're not taking lunch?"

Tyler's head snapped up from the legal pad he was doodling on. His throat closed and he was sure he was going to die if he couldn't make his lungs work again.

"I'm...I'm waiting for Ryan to get back so I can go." Tyler finally managed to tell his office crush.

"Where do you usually go?"

"The coffee shop down the street. Why?"

"I'm headed that way myself. I'll wait."

"Wait for what?" Tyler felt like his thought process was covered in molasses. _Frozen_ molasses.

"For Ryan to come back. Unless you don't want to ride with me. You know, save gas, save the environment."

Tyler was positive, at that moment, that he was in love. He had fallen for the pout. It wasn't obvious, Chase was too proud to be caught pouting for the world to see. But letting Tyler see was enough.

"I'd love to ride over there with you." Tyler smiled shyly.

Ryan waltzed up to the front desk to cover the phones while Tyler was at lunch. The red-head was complaining very loudly about some rude old woman in the parking lot and a guy on the road talking on his cell phone.

"Raz." Tyler tried.

"And then he had the nerve to sit through half a red light!" Ryan continued.

"Raz." Tyler got a little louder.

"I just don't understand some people. If the call is so important you can't drive, then pull into a parking lot and--"

"Ryan!" Tyler said loudly.

"What?" Ryan demanded.

"I'm taking lunch. Be back later." Tyler winked almost imperceptibly at his co-worker and Ryan got the idea.

"Yeah yeah. Just remember, all the time you're gone is time I get credit for and you don't." Ryan winked back.

Tyler rolled his eyes and followed Chase out of the building. Chase's BMW was a dark shade of blue and it gleamed in the sunlight. Chase held open the passenger-side door for Tyler and Tyler climbed in with a blush tinting his cheeks. Chase started the car and the radio started playing some old song by Radiohead. Tyler stared out the window and waited for Chase to start a conversation. Which he never did. They didn't talk as they bought lunch and they didn't talk when they sat down just outside the coffee shop.

"You ever feel like you're running in circles?" Chase finally asked.

Tyler looked up from his sandwich and sent Chase a questioning look.

"I wake up at 6:30, Monday through Friday and then at nine on Saturday and Sunday without the help of an alarm clock. I get to work at the same time every day, make it home about the same time every night... I do the same work throughout the week and the same chores on the weekend." (1) Chase admitted.

"It's monotonous." Tyler agreed.

"You ever get the urge to take a risk and maybe make a mistake just to keep things interesting?" Chase asked, his blue eyes locked onto Tyler's.

"I...I suppose." Tyler admitted.

"Hm." Chase zoned back out and went back to absent-mindedly nibbling at his sandwich.

"What do you usually do on Friday nights?" Chase asked.

"Whatch TV and play XBox. What about you?"

"Watch TV and eat enough Ben and Jerry's ice cream to put me in danger of going into a diabetic coma." Chase laughed.

"Yeah right. Have you seen your body? There's no way that's tr--" Tyler realized what he said and flushed bright red.

"I swear it's true." Chase smiled.

"I won't believe it until I see it." Tyler insisted.

"It's a date then."

"What?" Tyler choked on his soda.

"I'll prove to you that I'm a closet fat-ass." Chase grinned.

"You want me to go to your place on Friday night?" Tyler asked, still trying to process all that was going on.

"Sure. Keep things interesting. I'll buy the ice cream, you bring the beer and we'll play XBox and be half-drunk fat-asses for the night."

Tyler thought about it for a few long minutes. Reid probably would be pissed that there wouldn't be anyone at the flat for him to flaunt his latest sexcapade to, but that was the last thing Tyler wanted to deal with.

"I'll need your address and a time to be there." Tyler said with a smile.

Chase pulled a business card out of the pocket of his suit and a fountain pen too. He flipped the card over and quickly scribbled his address on the back before fanning the card to make the ink dry faster. He handed the card to Tyler who quickly put it in his pocket. Tyler glanced down at his watch and cursed softly. Chase glanced at his own watch and whistled lowly. Their half-hour for lunch was spent.

They discussed ice cream flavors, beer brands and XBox games on the drive back to the monolith of an office building. Chase left Tyler at the desk and headed towards the elevator.

"Tell me _everything_." Ryan grinned.

"Come on, Raz. What makes you think anything happened?" Tyler asked with a sigh.

"Because. You were smiling when you walked in." Ryan pointed out.

"I'm going to his place on Friday night so we can play XBox and be half-drunk fat-asses." Tyler smiled.

"That makes no sense to me, but judging by that shit-eating grin you have, I'll bet it means something to you." Ryan sighed.

"Yeah it does." Tyler grinned.

When Tyler got home that night, he glared at his calendar as it reminded him that it was only Wednesday. He pulled the card out of his pocket and flipped it over. He stopped short when he looked at the address on the back. There were two little hearts near the address and underneath was Chase's cell phone number. He chewed on his lower lip and wondered what it meant. He shrugged it off and pushed a thumbtack through the card and then through the wall next to his calendar.

Thursday was one of the longest and most horrific days for Tyler. He didn't see Chase at all that day and wondered if he was being set up. He drove home, a feeling of defeat blossoming through his chest. He climbed the stairs up to his apartment and glared at the business card stuck to his bedroom wall. His fingers traced across the letters and numbers on the back of the card. His defeat started churning and warming and became anger. He ripped the card off the wall and flung it across the room. His calendar and several books soon followed. When he finally calmed down, he looked around his normally neat room and flopped on the bed. He surveyed the damage again and stared at the little white card at his feet for quite some time before he finally decided to get up and put everything back in order.

"If he doesn't say something to me tomorrow, I'm going to call him and tell him that something came up. I'll tell him Reid is drunk in a gutter and needs my help or something." Tyler promised himself as he tacked the card back up.

Tyler was in to work thirty minutes early Friday morning. He sat down and sipped at his coffee, wary eyes glued to the door. He couldn't completely stop the smile that pulled at his lips when he saw Chase come sauntering through the doors, his tie a little loose, his hair a slight disaster, and his eyes miles away.

"Tyler! Is that meeting tonight still on?" Chase asked with a wink and what Tyler thought might have been desperation.

"Sure." Tyler smiled.

"I'll see you tonight then. Around eight. I have some errands to run."

"Okay." Tyler's smile was a little more shy this time.

Chase's fingers brushed across the back of Tyler's hand as he walked away and Tyler pushed down the urge to giggle like a giddy school girl.

"Well that was a cute exchange." Ryan smirked.

"Piss off, Raz." Tyler grinned.

"So there _is_ something going on."

"What do you mean?" Tyler tried playing innocent.

"You know Jenna? The slut from payroll?"

"What about her?"

"Well, she's been trying to bed Mr. Collins there for a while until recently, he's just been very politely declined her offers to roll in the hay. Yesterday he flat out told her to piss off because he wasn't interested and would _never_ be interested." Ryan smiled.

Tyler couldn't help but smile at that. He started to feel a bit giddy and had to mentally berrate himself to keep from giggling.

The clock moved its slowest that day. Tyler stared at the slow-moving hands, itching to be at Chase's flat, dying to be out of the office. He sighed almost imperceptibly when the clock inched ever closer to his acceptable punch-out time.

"Antsy?" Ryan asked with a smirk.

"Piss. Off." Tyler growled.

Tyler jumped when a hand was laid on his shoulder.

"I'll see you later." Chase smiled as he walked towards the doors.

"Yeah." Tyler smiled dazedly.

Tyler watched Chase walk away and then shook himself mentally to clear the dirty images clouding his mind. He watched the clock idly and waited for the numbers to change again.

"You wanna just go ahead and leave and I'll punch out for you?" Ryan asked with an amused smile.

"No. That will just make things worse. Because then instead of having the prospect of work to distract me, there will be nothing to distract me at home and I'll probably spontaneously combust." Tyler said slowly, an obvious attempt at calming himself down.

Ryan laughed at his friend and shook his head.

When he finally _did_ punch out, Tyler forced himself to walk at a reasonable pace to his car and obey the speed limit until he got home and then he sat down on the couch and put it on a Doctor Who marathon and tried to lose himself in the story to make time pass a little quicker. Unfortunately, every few minutes, he was looking at the clock and wanting time to speed up.

When seven rolled around, Tyler climbed into the shower and made sure his movements were slow. He knew that if he gave himself half a chance he would undoubtedly rush through everything and he'd then be stuck sitting on the couch waiting for the clock to change again. It was 7:15 when he climbed out of the shower and got dressed. He fought with himself for a little bit before deciding to go ahead and wear his favorite casual outfit: Distressed jeans and a t-shirt advertising Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Japanese. Sure the shirt clung to him, but he liked the way it looked. He eventually decided to stop stressing out about how he looked and he grabbed his keys, Chase's card, and the MapQuest directions next to the card. Tyler thought about it for a few minutes before grabbing Reid's six-pack from the fridge and replacing it with a yellow sticky note reading simply: "I O U". The blond would be pissed, but Tyler needed it. He, of course, stopped at a convenience store along the way and picked up two more.

He gathered up all of his courage, and the beer of course, and climbed the stairs to Chase's second-floor apartment. He nervously rang the doorbell. It was exactly 8 pm. Chase opened the door immediately.

"I knew you liked to be punctual, but this is very exact." Chase smiled as he took some of the beer from Tyler.

"I could always leave and come back in five minutes." Tyler grinned as he followed Chase inside.

"Why make me wait?" Chase asked.

Something about that statement struck Tyler as odd, but he decided he wasn't going to comment on it.

True to his word, Chase had several various flavors of Ben and Jerry's ice cream and a very large TV with game stations in front of it.

"I figured it would be a bad idea to play Halo or something similar until we're buzzed enough to giggle about getting achievements, so how about we start off with the original PlayStation and play a little Tekken?" Chase grinned.

"I will kick your ass, good sir." Tyler grinned.

They put the six pack down on the coffee table, and started to drink while the game loaded.

"King? What kind of noob chooses King?" Chase sneered playfully as he selected Jin.

"You wait. Ima kick your ass." Tyler smiled.

The two of them mashed buttons, executed larger-than-life combos, and made their virtual fighters battle to the death. Or at least Jin's death. Tyler spiked his controller onto the plush carpet and stood up, arms in the air like a receiver that had just scored the winning touchdown of the SuperBowl.

"All me. All me. You're dead." Tyler laughed.

"You always this happy about winning or is the alcohol getting to you already?" Chase smirked.

"Please. I could drink you under the table and _still_ kick your ass at Tekken. I am the Tekken master." Tyler grinned.

Chase could tell by the look in Tyler's eyes that he was enjoying himself and not even buzzed.

"Yeah, yeah." Chase smiled.

They played a few more rounds of Tekken, drank their way through two of the three six-packs Tyler brought, and then paused to see who could eat a quart of Chunky Monkey ice cream faster. Chase won that one.

"Who's the master now?" Chase beamed.

"Piss your pants and pull 'em over your head." (1) Tyler smiled.

Chase very maturely responded by sticking out his tongue. When they finished the third six pack, they decided to up the ante by switching to Tekken Tag. Chase won a few rounds, but Tyler proved to be much better. By this point they had finished two six packs Chase already had on hand and were very well on the road to being completely sloshed.

"Okay. Strip Tekken." Chase growled.

"What?"

"Everytime you lose a round, you lose a piece of clothing." Chase grinned, his words beginning to slur.

"Fine."

Chase changed the game to Tekken 5 and grinned to himself. Tekken was one of those games he played better drunk. Tyler lost the first round and muttered to himself as he removed a sock.

"Both." Chase smiled.

"Huh?"

"Socks come in pairs. You're not worming out of two rounds so easy."

Tyler rolled his eyes and removed both socks. When he lost the next round, Tyler threw his shirt over the back of the couch. Round three, and Tyler's jeans were next to them. He lost the next round.

"No way am I gonna play Tekken completely naked." Tyler slurred. Somewhere between the first round of Strip Tekken and the second round, they'd run out of beer and had consequently switched to raspberry flavored vodka.

"Those are the rules." Chase smiled, eyeing Tyler up and down.

"Somthin' else." Tyler pleaded.

Chase's smile faded and the look in his slightly glassy eyes changed.

"What?" Tyler asked.

Chase leaned forward, wrapped one hand around the base of Tyler's neck, and kissed him firmly. Tyler wound his arms around Chase's neck and kissed him back eagerly. The controllers and virtual fighters were forgotten while Chase and Tyler toyed with eachother...

Tyler's head hurt. An explosion of pain. He suddenly remembered why he hated vodka. He always woke up hungover. He didn't bother with opening his eyes until he realized that there was someone holding on to him. He didn't panic. He was much too rational for that. He traced his steps backwards. He'd gone to Chase's after work...They drank beer, ate ice cream, and played Tekken. Then the vodka came out and they played Strip Tekken. And then... Then Tyler had lost four rounds in a row and rather than completely strip, he'd kissed Chase. Or Chase had kissed him... He decided it didn't matter. What _did_ matter was how far things had gotten... Tyler slowly opened his eyes and instantly recognized the bottle-littered coffee table. He was slightly surprised to see the television and the PlayStation were both still on. Tyler looked down at himself and was relieved to see that he still had his boxers on and Chase was still wearing his jeans. Tyler rubbed slightly at his eyes and Chase suddenly pulled him closer. Tyler yelped as Chase squeezed him a little too hard. The grip suddenly loosened and Tyler realized that Chase was coming to. Tyler heard him murmuring to himself, but was a little surprised when he wasn't released.

"Uh, Chase? You're still kinda holding on to me." Tyler blushed.

"I know. I kinda like the way it feels." Chase murmured, kissing Tyler's neck.

Tyler tensed up.

"What happened last night?" Tyler demanded gently, wiggling around until he was looking into Chase's pale blue eyes.

"Well...Tekken is a game I play better when I'm drunk, so we drank, quite a bit, and then we started playing Strip Tekken, and then you started losing, so I started to kiss you, and then you started getting ahead of yourself, so I told you to slow down and you told me that I meant the world to you and I said that if that was really true you would wait until you were sober. At which point you vehemently insisted that you were sober enough and then I pointed out how slurred your words were. You pouted for a bit, kissed me for a bit, and passed out not long after."Chase shrugged.

"Oh I made a fool of myself."

"No. It's understandable." Chase shrugged.

Tyler started to get pieces of the night back as he remained awake. One moment in particular jarred him considerably.

"Did you really tell me you loved me?" Tyler demanded.

"Yes."

"But you were just drunk, right?"

"No. I meant it. I don't throw my words around like they mean nothing." Chase shrugged.

"So...Where does this leave us?"

Tyler hated Mondays. With a passion. They were the end of the weekend, and the beginning of the week. He sighed and got dressed for work. He hated dressing nice. Just once he wanted to walk into work wearing jeans and a t-shirt and have that be the end of it. Why did work have to mean uncomfortable? He climbed into his car and drove away from his apartment, cursing the very idea of work the whole way there.

He arrived at his desk and flopped into a chair. He hated just being the receptionist, but he was still going to school at night and couldn't really qualify as much else. The rubbed his eyes and hoped the day would just hurry up and pass quickly. He heard something hit the desk in front of him and he jumped. It was Chase, dropping off his coffee.

"Hey." Tyler smiled.

"Hey. We still on for lunch?" Chase asked.

"Of course." Tyler grinned.

Chase leaned over the desk and tilted his head, staring at the large calendar on the desk that was covered with Tyler's doodles.

"What are you--"

Chase stopped Tyler's question with a quick kiss.

"See you at noon." Chase smiled. Tyler blushed and smiled to himself. And here he was thinking office romances were nothing more than subject matter for trashy throw-away novels...

* * *

(1): I borrowed this line from something my friend showed me on YouTube. I can't remember the name of the skit or who did it, but I love that line. That one and "You're the fucking devil. And no one likes to play Monopoly with the fucking devil!"

**A/N 2:** This is sorta-kinda-very-loosely inspired by my own wanna-be office romance. I got a bit of an epic crush on a guy I work with. -blush- lol. Sorry if it sucks, but I'm writing this while I'm actually at work 'cos my home comp sucks. XD


	42. Fireflies

**POLL:**In your review, tell me what your favorite fic from the series is so far. I'll tell you mine in the next update. :3

**A/N:** And now we're back to Reid and Tyler. :D

**StoicCrying:** The video _is_ amazingly funny. It's called "Monopoly Madness". :D

**0EMMA BLACK0: **I love Dr. Who. It's one of my favorite shows. Apparently I'm a bit of a creep 'cos I live in the US and favor shows from the UK. -eyeroll- lol

**CoverGirlxx:** I understand what you mean. I'm just trying to stretch my creative wings, you know? I'm trying to work without a muse too. -_-' Usually the way my muse works is by taking something mundane and turning it into something awesome. Not lately. This is the first peice I've written in a bit that actually flowed on its own as opposed to being pushed and pulled to work.

**beginningxofxthexend:** Yes, Chase can be human, lol. And I kinda like the idea that Tyler's confidence in himself would be his downfall, even if it was something as simple as Tekken. Or strip Tekken, as the case may be. As for Ryan...I borrowed the nickname from a friend of mine who currently resides in Northern Ireland, and the personality was a combination of people I know. And don't worry about eloquence. I have insomnia, so I know what it's like to go on a bender with no sleep. To be honest, most of my earlier work was done in the wee hours of the morning 'cos I have problems sleeping, lol.

* * *

Reid walked through the tall grass that made up the field behind the sprawling Simms Manor. It was just far enough past sunset for the stars to start showing up. The moon was full and bright from it's position low in the sky, lending the tall grass a silvery tint to contrast the brilliant yellow of the fireflies trying to escape Reid's intrusion. His eyes scanned the grass and he smiled when he saw a gap in the tall grass. He continued walking towards the gap and smiled down at Tyler who was staring up at the stars. Reid laid down next to Tyler, putting his hands under his head. Tyler rested his head on Reid's chest and Reid wrapped an arm around the younger boy. They stared up at the stars, their eyes tracing the familiar lines of the constellations.

An owl suddenly swooped low, streaking across the darkened sky, heading towards whatever prey was lurking in the grass not far from Reid and Tyler's feet. There was a sudden explosion of fireflies, trying to get out of the way. The owl took to the sky once more, talons holding a large rat. Reid and Tyler didn't notice. They watched the fireflies flicker at one another, communicating in their bio-luminescent Morse code. The fireflies danced upwards, blinking on and off and pushing themselves into the lines of the constellations.

The moon rose slightly higher in the sky and Tyler sighed softly. He was relaxed and content and in the arms of his lover. Reid knew what Tyler was thinking, or _wasn't _thinking, seeing as how there was no need for organized thought, and he pulled the brunette a little closer to him. They were sitting on the lap of the summertime gods and they were surrounded by the best the world could offer them. There was nothing they needed except what they had. Reid had the impression that if the world were to explode at that moment, it wouldn't matter because he wold still have Tyler, the stars, the fireflies, the perfect moments.

They laid still, basking in the moonlight, lounging amongst the fireflies, and reveling in the presence of their beloved. The night life soon grew used to their presence, their whispering breaths and still bodies, and they grew a bit more bold. Reid and Tyler found themselves being serenaded by crickets on grass stalks near enough to bee seen clearly in the silvery-blue moonlight. They saw the fireflies meet each other on the grassy stalks, winking at each other in a code as old as the species. Tyler knew what they were saying. It was nothing that could ever be translated into words. It was everything that it could ever be. It was every sonnet, every love song, every play and movie about finding your perfect match. It was a promise that they were the one and the perfect assurance that they were being honest. It was a siren song, one that sang to the heart and not the ears, one that pulled you in with words that no one could ever repeat, but everyone longed to hear.

Reid looked over at Tyler and Tyler looked up at Reid. Everything they were rushed across the connection between them, every fear, every doubt, every joy, everything. The stars reflected in Tyler's eyes and the fireflies reflected in Reid's, they stared at eachother. Tyler knew that if the world were to stop turning, he wouldn't care, because he'd have Reid, the stars, the fireflies, the perfect moments.

When the nighttime serenade finally ended, the band of crickets ending their chirps and the dancing fireflies doused their lights to get some rest, the sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon. Reid slowly stood, giving Tyler a hand up.

Reid walked through the tall grass that made the field that lay behind the sprawling Simms Manor, the delicate dawn sunbeams brushing his back, Tyler's hand in his, towards the empty mansion where they could catch up on sleep before their next dance with the lightning bugs.


	43. A little note

**IMPORTANT:** Okay...This may or may not freak you guys out, but I know for a fact it's freaking me out... My school year is gonna start on Monday. The problem is that I transferred schools (right before my senior year) and my schedule is completely whacked. So starting in September, I'll be going to school SIX DAYS A WEEK. Monday through Friday from 7:45 am until 2:15 pm and on Saturdays from 8 am until noon. Not too bad, but it means that my updates are gonna be a little... off. And beyond that...

**I REALLY NEED YOUR HELP!!!!** My muse is a fickle little bastard. After my spark of inspiration that brought on "Fireflies", I've not been able to think of a single effing scenario!!!! Normally, I'd slog my way through a couple half-assed scenarios and eventually work a good one out... Nope. I'm drawing a complete effing blank. So... If you can think of a scenario... Let me know... Please!!! Epsilon (what I call my Muse) is being insufferable and he's giving me ideas for everything _but_ Covenant Slash. He's not even giving me ideas for my "odd" pairings, like ChasexTyler or something like that. He's whispering in my ear about other things that I could write... So I need a little kick to get Epsilon jump-started. Please, please, please just give me an idea... I don't care if it's a song that reminds you of a pair or if it's an "odd" pair in a situation. Just help me out!!!

~~Tex


	44. There For You

**A/N:**I just want to take this moment to thank everyone that sent me ideas for the slash. I really appreciate it. I'm going to try to get to all of your suggestions, try to work on them and get them up here. But like I said, my muse, Epislon, is a deuche. A big one. I even went so far as to try merging all of the ideas you guys left for me. That one was a mess. (Read through the last few reviews and I think you'll see what I'm talking about). This one was sent to me by **julliette.** This is going to probably have a sequel, but I'm not going to say anymore than that. :3

**LYRICAL INSPIRATION/SONG USED:** "There for you" by Flyleaf

**xxFuturistico:** To be honest, I'm not entirely sure how I come up with most of this stuff myself. The thing about it is that sometimes something someone says or something I hear or see sparks...something. A lot of times it appears as just a motion clip, like a movie. Unfortunately the clip I'm seeing is usually from the middle of the film. -_-' But I'm glad you enjoy the stories. :D

**julliette:** I loved writing "Shut Me Up" to be honest. And the funniest thing about it is that my best friend and I were listening to the song in our algebra 2 class last year while we were talking about yaoi and she was like "This is the ultimate Reid/Tyler fuck song". And of course the idea stuck and I had to write it. XD

**beginningxofxthexend:** I love listening to the song that inspired it, "Fireflies" by Owl City. The first time I heard it, I was standing next to my radio, looking out the window and (ironically) the fireflies started showing up 'cos it was sunset. It was just so gorgeous a sight that I started thinking about how wonderful it would be to share it with someone. Which, of course, reminded me of myfavorite yaoi couple, lol.

**_TO EVERYONE WHO SUBMITTED AN IDEA TO HELP KEEP THIS SERIES ALIVE:_** I really appreciate those ideas and several of them I'm still working with. I just want to let you guys know that I'm not going to be showing any favoritism and it's not really first-come-first-serve either. I'm going to keep working with these ideas, though I can't really promise that all of them will become stories, just because my muse is an ultra prick. So, without any further delays, the story:

* * *

"Just drop it!" Tyler yelled.

It was another argument. Another round of screaming and yelling. More hurt and scathing words.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know I was carrying the cause of this argument." Reid yelled in response.

"Oh, please. Don't even fucking _try_ to play that game. It might have worked a year ago, but it's not going to work now."

"I still don't know what you're pissed about!"

Tyler bit his lower lip and walked out of the living room. He walked into the kitchen and started to unload the dishwasher. He couldn't deal with Reid at that moment. He didn't want to keep the argument going.

"Are you even going to answer me?" Reid demanded.

Tyler slammed the dishwasher closed without bothering to finish the dishes and walked into the bathroom. Reid followed him in there too.

"You know why I'm pissed. Don't even pretend you don't know what's going on." Tyler hissed.

"I don't know why you're pissed."

"Oh really? You swagger in here smelling like gin and flop down next to me on the couch and the first thing you say to me is, 'You remember Fae McLane? The girl I fucked in freshman year right before I hooked up with you? We went out for drinks. Sorry I didn't come home sooner'. What the fuck is that?" Tyler demanded, whirling to face the blond.

"The explaination of where I was." Reid said flatly.

"You fucking disgust me." Tyler shoved by Reid and into the bedroom they shared. He reached into the top of the closet and pulled down a suitcase. He'd packed it when Reid didn't come home when he usually did. Tyler had hoped that there would be a good excuse, maybe not an argument this time, but he was wrong . There was just more of Reid's emotional retardation and insensitivity.

"What is that?" Reid demanded.

"The fuck does it look like?" Tyler shoved by Reid and headed towards the living room of the apartment they shared.

"Where are you going? Damn it Tyler!" Reid grabbed Tyler's upper arm.

"Fuck off, Reid!" Tyler yelled.

Reid, in shock, released the brunette.

"I'm going away." The younger man said softly.

"For how long?" Reid asked, feeling his chest constricting.

"I'll be back before I need to do laundry." Tyler walked to the door and heard Reid take a few steps after him. "Don't try to follow me, Reid. It's really not a good idea." Tyler whispered before he left.

Reid sank down on the couch. He had really, really fucked up.

**_Sometimes I'm a selfish fake,  
You're always a true friend.  
And I don't deserve you,  
Cause I'm not there for you,  
Please forgive me again._**

"Hey, cutie. Mind if I buy you a drink?" The girl had curly auburn hair and warm brown eyes. Her slinky dress left just enough to the imagination and she obviously knew what she had as well as how to use it.

"Sorry, baby. I'm taken." Tyler smiled.

"I'm sure your girl won't mind too much." The girl smirked.

"My lover's no little girl. And you're not my _type. _I'm hoping you've caught the drift by now, sweetheart."

"He's lucky, whoever he is." The girl sighed. She walked down the bar a little ways and tried chatting up a different guy.

Tyler slowly spun the glass in his hands. The light from the bar was dancing on the perfect cubes of ice in his glass. He saw the light catch something else and he set the glass down on the bar. The ring on his right hand ring finger had caught the light just perfectly. He took the ring off and held it between his forefinger and thumb. The dim light from the bar managed to reflect off of the silver that surrounded the stone. It was gorgeous, really. A simple silver band with an electric blue lapis lazuli stone.

_"I like the way the sliver looks better with the stone. I got you the lapis lazuli 'cause I figured you'd need it. It's for emotional stability. I don't mean your'e unstable, but I know I am, and if you're going to be with me, you're going to need all the help you can get with coping. It's also supposed to bring out inner peace, something else you'll need around me."_

That's what Reid had told him over a year ago when he'd gotten the ring. It was a lovely gift, one that Reid had really thought through before getting. Tyler waved the bartender over and asked for another raspberry vodka and Sierra Mist. He knew he was probably being a little over dramatic with the whole "leaving Reid" thing, but he couldn't take it anymore. His cell phone rang and he sighed. Whenever Reid called, it would play the Alien Ant Farm version of "Smooth Criminal", which it was currently playing. Tyler looked at the screen and considered answering it, but he refused to give in that easily and simply touched the "ignore" button on his phone.

"You seem to be having a rough time." The bartender mused as he set the drink down in front of the brunette.

"Taking some time out of the relationship." Tyler smiled gently. His phone beeped and Tyler dialed his voice mail.

"Look, Ty, I know you said you wanted your space and I know you're probably not going to believe me when I say this, but I'm sorry. I never meant to push you away.... Look... Tyler... The truth of the matter is... I only mentioned Fae because... Because I wanted you to think there were other people out there looking at me. And I don't mean that the way it sounds! I'm terrified that you're going to wake up one day and realize there's someone else out there for you. So I thought that maybe if I could make you jealous... It might... keep you here. I know it's stupid, but, Baby Boy, it's the truth. I love you."

**_I wanna be there for you,  
Someone you can come to.  
Runs deeper than my bones,  
I wanna be there for you. (I wanna be there for you)_**

Reid sifted through Tyler's closet. The boy only had enough clothes for three days. Four at the most if Reid had forgotten to memorize one of Tyler's outfits. He had never meant to hurt his lover, he had just meant to make him jealous enough to stay. And it had backfired. Instead of being jealous enough to stay, he'd been pissed enough to leave.

Reid sat down on the bed and stared blankly at the wall. It was going to be a very long three days. He figured he could alwasy just try calling Tyler every ten minutes until he answered, but that would inevitably piss the brunette off even more and he'd lose his chance to make things right. Reid ran his hands through his hair and fell backwards on to the bed. The apartment was so empty without Tyler. He was always doing something, even if it was just reading a book in the corner. The quiet rustle of the pages made just enough noise to remind Reid that he wasn't really alone in the world. But now that Tyler was God only knew where, he truly felt all alone in the world.

He eventually grew tired of laying there with thoughts so heavy and he got off the bed and walked out of the bedroom. He sat down on the couch and turned on the television. There were more reminders of Tyler in the living room. There were pictures of the bright-eyed beauty (1) on the walls, and Tyler was always telling him to watch more History or Discovery Channel and less SciFi channel. Reid growled in frustration and threw the remote at the wall, not caring about the dent it left. He flopped onto the couch and closed his eyes. There were too many reminders of how bad he'd fucked up. Of how there was a chance he would never drown in those pools of blue-green Tyler had for eyes. There was a chance he'd never again hold his lover in his arms. Reid groaned in frustration tried to give up thinking all together. It didn't work.

**_Swirling shades of blue,  
Slow dancing in your eyes.  
The sun kisses the Earth,  
And I hush my urge to cry. (Cry)_**

It was so late it was early when Tyler went back to his hotel room. He hadn't really been drinking, more like sipping and people-watching. Reid hadn't tried calling back again and Tyler gave him a few bonus points for at least leaving him be once his point had been made. Tyler watched the sun start coming up from the window of his posh hotel room and he knew that Reid was awake and watching too.

Tyler remembered a few times when he and Reid had sat up on the balcony of their apartment and watched the sunrise. He remembered once in the early fall when they had stayed up, watching their breath as much as the skies. Reid had kissed him with cold lips that morning, just as the sky started turning rosy. It was like some weird sort of magic, kissing Reid while the sun rose, despite being huddled together so close in an attempt to ward off the cold.

Tyler sighed and walked into the bathroom. He turned on the shower and stared at his reflection in the mirror. He had dark circles under his eyes and he knew the stress with Reid had been affecting his sleep cycles more than he'd originally thought. Of course, he could blame Reid for his sleeplessness, but he could just as easily blame him for comforting him and helping him get bck to sleep after a nightmare or restless thoughts. Tyler was just as lost without Reid as he was with him.

The shower didn't relax him nearly as much as he thought it would. He knew that he wouldn't be getting any sleep. He als oknew that he wasn't in the mood to go out and do anything, but neither was he in the mood to just sit around and wait for the day to pass. He certainly wasn't going to just go back to the bar and sit and drink... Though the more he thought about it, the better it seemed... Tyler shook his head and dispelled the notion. No matter how appealing the idea seemed, drinking wasn't going to solve his problems.

Tyler looked at his phone. There was a part of him that was offended that Reid hadn't tried harder to get in touch with him, but the rest of him knew that the reason Reid hadn't tried more often because he realized his immaturity was driving them apart. In that respect, Tyler was very proud of his lover for having grown up enough to understand what needed to be done. Unfortunately, the longer Tyler thought of Reid, the more he realized there was no way he could possibly stay gone from Reid, especially not until he ran out of clean clothes, even if it was only three days. Tyler chewed on his lower lip and hoped that he wasn't giving in too soon by wanting, so desperately, to see Reid again. His phone started to play a familiar song and Tyler looked at the screen.

**_I wanna be there for you,  
Someone you can come to.  
Runs deeper than my bones,  
I wanna be there for you (there for you)._**

"Hello?"

Reid collapsed onto the bed when Tyler actually answered.

"Baby Boy. I know you told me not to call you, but I just had to hear your voice again. It's driving me crazy, the apartment being so quiet." Reid said as he forced a laugh.

"You're not watching TV?"

"Too loud."

"So turn the volume down." Reid could hear the eyeroll in his lover's voice.

"Doesn't matter. It's too garish when it's the only thing in the house that's alive."

"And you're not alive?"

"I'm not with you gone." Reid whispered.

There was a sigh from Tyler's end of the line and Reid knew that Tyler was taking everything he said for more idle chat to win him back. And to be honest, Reid wasn't sure how he was going to convince his lover otherwise.

"I just think we should try to weather these three days out." Tyler said softly.

Reid felt his heart sink and his lungs give up.

"I was kind of hoping you'd come back now. No more waiting." Reid choked on his words.

"Are you sure that's such a good idea, Reid? We just keep getting caught in the same rut."

"And that's my fault, I know. I'm sorry, baby. You know better than anyone that I'm new when it comes to these serious relationships. I don't know how to act around you. I don't know howto keep you here with me, no matter how desperately I want to. I love you so much, Tyler. I just don't know how to show it." Reid said softly.

**_'Cause I hear your whispered words  
In your masterpiece beautiful.  
You speak the unspeakable through  
"I love you too"._**

"I know you love me, Reid. That's why I hurt when you say those things to me. Because I want to be the only one for you, so desperately. I just... I don't know..." Tyler sighed. He could hear the hurt in Reid's voice.

"I do. I know we can work this out. I know that we can get through this. I know we can. You just have to trust me, Tyler. I won't hurt you again. I promise I won't. Just have a little faith in me, please." Reid begged.

"There's still so much stuff we haven't talked about." Tyler sighed. He wanted to go back to Reid, he desperately did. But there were too many problems with their relationship.

"So let's talk about it in person."

Tyler said nothing for several long minutes.

"Tyler?"

"I'm here. I'm just thinking."

"What's there to think about? No matter what I said in the past, you have to understaid that you're the only boy for me, Ty. I love you. I love you more than anything else on this planet or any other planet out there. I love you more than anything in this existance or the next. I love you."

"I love you too Reid. I'll be home in a few hours." Tyler sighed.

**_I wanna be there for you,  
Someone you can come to.  
Runs deeper than my bones.  
I wanna be there for you._**

"Good. I missed you so much." Reid sighed. He was excited beyond words that Tyler was coming back to him. Thngs were going to be oaky once Tyler was back in the apartment. Then it wouldn't feel so dead and so lonely. Then he could go back to feeling like he wasn't alone in the world.

"I'm gonna hang up so ican repack my clothes and my toothbrush and check out. I'll see you when I get back, oaky?"

"Sure, babe. And don't ever forget that I love you."

"I doubt you'll let me. But that's okay 'cause I love you too. I'll see you soon."

Tyler hung up the phone and tucked it into the pocket of his jeans. It didn't take him long to throw everything back into his suitcase. He'd worry about atness once he got back to the apartment.

He checked out, despite it still being so early in the day and threw everything into the backseat of his Hummer.

**_I wanna be there for you  
And be someone you can come to.  
The love runs deeper than my bones.  
I wanna be there for you._**

Reid had just finished making breakfast when he heard the door open. Tyler dropped his suitcase by the front door and he just looked at Reid standing before him. The air was heavy with everything they hadn't said to eachother and everything they wanted to say to each other. They undrstood each other and Tyler ran to Reid, throwing his arms around the blond and nestling into the familiar embrace.

"I made pancakes." Reid smiled after kissing the top of Tyler's head.

"And all by yourself." Tyler grinned.

"You're the only one for me, Baby Boy. You always have been. I'm yours." Reid whispered.

"And I'm yours." Tyler whispered.

**_I wanna be there for you..._**


	45. Truth through blogging

**A/N: **I know this one might have a few questions spring up so let me explain ahead of time: This is written like a blog. The idea was sent to me by **xxFuturistico. **I kind of change the idea around a little, but I hope you enjoy it, Futuristico...

**julliette:** I really was planning a sequel to "There For You". I kinda got this image in my head while I was listening to music and writing "TFY". Unfortunately, once the fic was done, I forgot what song it was that inspired the sequel so that one kinda died young. XD

**forgetMEalways: **I'm glad you liked it and I'm glad I made the grade. :D

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I'm glad I can continue impressing you. There are days where I feel like there's nothing I can write that my first readers haven't already seen, lol.

**LadyV.2102:** I'm glad you liked them, and thanks for recommending me. As for the book... Well... I'm working on it. -evil laugh-

**beginningxofxthexend:** Yeah. I've been busted by the teacher before too, lol. The plot arc gave me a little trouble. I was torn between dragging it out and ending it too soon. XD And Epsilon? Still not nearly as helpful as he should be. Thankfully I have a back up, Malachite. Malachite usually provides me with a single scene for a fic, and Epsilon is the one that has a tendency to come in and just make the scene explode, making it painfully simple for me to go for it. Well... Malachite is doing his job of giving me scenes. Unfortunately, Epsilon is kicking back in places unknown and leaving me and Malachite to try and piece these scenes together. So I have some inspiration, just not the jaw-dropping, heart-stopping "I-just-wrote-the-whole-2000-word-fic-in-three-minutes-and-I-love-it" inspiration I used to get, lol.

* * *

**Username: **TEX

**Date:** 11 October 2009

**Mood:** OMFG!!!!!!

**Title: **In and of the city...

Sorry for the long break in blog updates. Things were CRAZY these past few days, lol. I go through all this work trying to make sure I know everything I can to make sure I'm FLAWLESS in the upcoming play at my school, The Diary of Anne Frank (1), and then we find out that our Mr. Frank is moving from Ipswich to San Diego (2). Tell me about it.

But back to the main idea behind this little blog o' mine... I've been taking the bus to and from work these past few days, seeing as how my transmission is shot, and I had the most interesting encounter ever the other day...

There's this kid I know from my fourth period Advanced Placement Anatomy&Physiology class, Tyler Simms. He is absolutely gorgeous. No lie. Tall, thin, black hair, pretty blue-green eyes... And he knows when to keep his mouth shut and just listen. The guy you take home to meed Mom and Dad. So Tyler gets on the bus and sits down in the seat in front of me, too busy playing with his cell phone to notice me staring (thank GOD for that one, right?). So the bus heads to the next stop and here comes surprise number two: Reid Effing Garwin, the swimmer from my seventh period Forensic Sciences class. Also beautiful. Also tall and thin, but with blond hair and blue eyes. Total bad boy. Tats, a love of drinking games, a total rebel. The kind of guy you take to bed with you for a damn good time. ;)

So Reid sits down right next to Tyler and I figured it was pretty normal. I mean, everyone at Spencer's KNOWS there's that whole "Our families go back before the dawn of time" thing, so it made sense. Hell, maybe they were meeting the other three members of their little group. Who the hell knows.

So the bus stops in the middle of town, right in front of the pharmacy and I stand up to get off. (Needed to pick up some aspirin and shampoo and stuff) Reid and Tyler also stand up. Holding hands. You can imagine my facial expression. So I unintentionally followed them off the bus. I walked into the pharmacy first and was getting my aspirin and my perscription-strength allergy medicine when I walk by the "personal" isle and I accidentally overhear Reid and Tyler having the following conversation:

REID: "You know you loved it."

TYLER: "That's beside the point you asinine prick!"

RIED: "So you're telling me that 'ribbed for her pleasure' couldn't also translate to 'ribbed for _his_--"

TYLER: "Just shut up and let's just get out of here."

Seriously. It happened. I was there. I wouldn't lie to you. So I paid for my stuff and carried my baggie over to the little diner across the street to get some lunch and kill some time, seeing as how the next bus wouldn't blow through for a little while. And guess who I run into there.

I'll give you a hint. He's tall, dark, and handsome in an old-movie-broody-vampire way. He's also in my seventh period Forensic Sciences class. If you guessed Caleb Danvers, 1000 internets to you, good sir!! And I'll be struck by a flying garden gnome if he didn't look impatient. So the door opens, and that annoying little windchime thing starts to clang and then Caleb looks all relieved. Who made him so happy? The enigma. The one that, for some reason, you never expect to see. My Anatomy and Physiology lab partner. The one and only... Chase Collins. I swear to every deity I know of they had a quick little peck on the lips before they sat down.

To tell you the truth, I was desparate to see just what in the holy damn goat was going on with these guys. Seemed like they were more than "old family friends" to me, the lot of them. The only one I could account for was that muscle-headed pretty-boy, Pogue Perry. I saw him at the mechanic shop, coddling Kate. Looked like she wanted to leave his precious Ducatti there and go do something fun. Everyone on this side of the planet knows that Pogue would NEVER leave that bike alone. Ever. To be honest, I think he loves the bike more than Kate. In more than one way if he's as devious as his brothers seem.

ANYWAY!!! So I finished eating before Chase and Caleb and decided to go and see what was playing at the cinema. It was a fairly cheap one, a theatre that was playing films long after they had left the main-stream viewing platform. So I decided to go see that ghost movie. The one about the kid possessed by the evil house (3). So I sit all the way up in the back so I don't have to really worry about people bothering me with their natural stupidity, and I get all comfortable with my Raisinettes and my Cherry Coke. And then all hell breaks loose.

Three seats to my left, Reid Garwin and Tyler Simms. (Mental note: Find a cute celebrity couple name for those two). Three seats to my right, Chase Collins and Caleb Danvers. (Mental note: Same as before). So the movie starts and, as you could probably expect from someone who so closely resembles a helpless kitten, Tyler is hiding behind Reid. Reid acts all tough and protective and the next thing you know, they're making kissy faces. I saw tongue and I don't know who it belonged to. 0.o So I chance a glance in the opposite direction to see if Chase and Caleb had anything to say about it. They didn't. They probably would have been naked and all over each other if not for the random red-headed girl (-cough- ME -cough-) sitting so close to them.

Needless to say, with so much deliciousness going on so close to me, it was difficult to follow the movie. Especially when I heard Tyler scolding Reid. It was difficult to understand the whole thing, but the word "hickey" was involved.

Once the movie was done, I practically ran out of the theatre and to the bus stop. I thought the damn relic would NEVER show up!!! So I sit down and then to my left sits Chase and Caleb. And in front of me... Yeah. Tyler and Reid. Both couples, composed of almost god-like boys, are holding hands and looking out the window, like it's nothing odd. Well, for them, I suppose it isn't. But it was crushing for me to witness.

There is only one thing that I can say: The Sons of Ipswich, our beloved idols, are in love with each other. Pack it in girls and boys, they're so far into their inner circle that none of us have a snowflake's chance in the deepest pit of Hell.

But... Truth be told... It was pretty damn hot to watch them at the movies... And cuter than a baby panda taking a nap with a kitten to see them just sitting in their bus seats holding hands. The only bad news is that things are going to be just a little awkward on Monday during class...

Oh, Crapple. It's almost 8. My TV show is about to come on and I don't know where the remote is!!!! I'll update this again as soon as I can. Until then, faithful Blog readers!!

Over&&OUT.

* * *

(1) It's true. I was cast in my high school's rendition of The Diary of Anne Frank. I was cast as Miep Gies. For those of you who don't know/remember, she's the one that hides Anne and her family from the Nazis. :D

(2) This is also true. Our Mr. Frank left for California on Thursday. -.-'

(3) Cookies and milk if you know the movie I was thinking of. :3


	46. Florida

**A/N:** This little story was inspired by "The Bird And The Worm" by The Used. It was stuck in my head for a bit and I started thinking aaaaand... This is what happened. :3

**blo0d StaiNed Rose: **I'm working on a Chase/Caleb. I just have to beat Malachite and Epsilon into glorious submission. XD

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I'm glad you never tire of them, lovely. :D

**forgetMEalways:** It wasn't Poltergiest. The third movie in that series creeped the hell out of me. 0.o

**beginningxofxthexend:** Yeah. I love blogging about guys I'm interested in. That's why I have this long list of "codenames" for the guys, to keep Monday from being awkward. XD

**julliette:** Here is the "more" you requested.

**xxFuturistico:** I'm good at twisting things. I'm just glad I did it right that time. XD And yes, it was "A Haunting in Conneticut". Milk and cookies for you!!!!

**LadyV.2102:** I'm glad you like the story so much. The blogging thing was kinda in the forefront of my mind, seeing as how I just set up _another_ blog, lol. And thanks for the publicity. I really, really, really appreciate it. :D

**

* * *

**He had always been a shy boy. For as long as anyone could remember he was shy. Always keeping to himself, preferring the company of books or bugs to his peers. He never outgrew it. In fact, it seemed to get worse the summer before his junior year when he moved from hot and sunny Orlando to the windy and chilly Ipswich. He left behind everything he knew and started fresh. He seemed unearthly, especially given where he was from. How often was a child from Florida so pale? And those big blue-green eyes! It was difficult for him to cope with all of that attention.

He slowly took his seat in his first period class on his very first day next to a boy with blond hair and wild eyes.

"So you're the new kid." The blond said with a scoff.

Tyler nodded.

"Heard you're from Florida."

Tyler nodded again.

"You open your fucking mouth and speak when you answer me." The boy grabbed the front of Tyler's uniform shirt as he spoke.

"Leave him alone, Aaron. Or I'll kick your ass myself."

Tyler turned to see who his savior was and saw a thin boy with bright blond hair and cold blue eyes.

"I'm sorry, Garwin. Is this your new boyfriend?" Aaron sneered.

"Doesn't matter who the fuck he is. You've got no right to touch him. So lay the fuck off, and leave the kid the fuck alone."

Tyler noticed three other boys appeared behind Garwin, apparently to back him up. The one standing up front was had dark hair and light eyes, the boy to his left seemed incredibly dark and almost sad. The boy behind them had longer hair and angry eyes.

"Whatever." Aaron spat.

"Th-Thanks." Tyler said softly as Aaron walked away.

"Don't worry about him. He's just an asshole with issues." Reid shrugged. He walked towards his seat and the other three boys followed him.

Tyler pulled out his notebook and a pen and started to nervously sketch an African Long-Horned Beetle. He tended to draw when he was nervous, especially bugs. There was nothing complicated about bugs. They were there, they did what their kind had done since they came into existance, and they had no alternative motive. They just... did.

When the teacher walked to the front of the room, he tore the page out and started taking notes on the next clean page. When the bell rang, he gathered up his notebook and pen and slung his bag over his shoulder. As he tried to get out of the classroom, Aaron rudely shouldered by him. Tyler stumbled, but regained his balance and sent a nervous look around the room, desperately hoping that no one had seen him embarrassed like that. It appeared that no one had. He nearly ran to his next class.

"So how was your day?" Heather Simms asked her son at dinner. She decided to let him stay home for a few days before she moved him into the dorm. She knew he was shy. She was hoping that forcing him to live with other boys his age would help bring him out of his shell.

"It was okay." Tyler shrugged, picking at his food.

"No new friends?"

"Not really."

"Not really? That doesn't sound like a difinitive 'no', though." She said hopefully.

"Well, this one kid Aaron was being a dick and this kid, Reid told him to leave me alone." Tyler shrugged.

"Well that's a step forward!" Mrs. Simms said cheerfully.

Tyler only shrugged again.

"Watch where the fuck you walk, freak." Aaron said as he slapped Tyler's notebook out of his hand.

Tyler sighed. He'd been at Spencer's Academy for a little over a month and Aaron had been nothing but a dick since. Tyler had said hello to Reid and his friends, Chase, Caleb and Pogue in passing, but he'd never had a conversation with them. The thought alone made him shudder. He just _knew_ he'd stutter and end up looking like a fool in front of them. And it was obvious they were popular. So Tyler ate lunch by himself in the courtyard under the shade of an oak tree. He carefully sketched all of the insects he saw, signed their Latin names under the picture, and put his name and date off in one corner.

He was just getting to the excruciating detail of a cicada's wing when the paper was ripped from his hand.

"Hey!" He yelled.

"What the hell is this pansy shit?" Aaron asked, looking the picture over.

Tyler just reached for the picture again, only to have Aaron snatch it out of the way.

"I asked what the hell this shit was."

"It doesn't matter! Just give it back!" Tyler yelled.

Reid turned at the sound of the voice that sounded familiar and alien at the same time. He saw Aaron tormenting Tyler "Florida" Simms, keeping something out of the elfin boy's reach. Reid raised an eyebrow. He'd hardly heard Tyler talk, let alone yell so loud. Reid stood up from his seat in the center of a picnic table, discarding his half-finished cigarette as he walked quickly towards the dueling duo. Aaron had taken a notebook from Tyler and was waving it around, yelling something about "pansy shit" and Tyler was telling him to hand it back.

"What in the name of all things gay is this?" Aaron asked, ripping pages from the sketch book.

"Don't!" Tyler yelled, trying to catch the pages before the wind did.

Reid tapped Aaron's shoulder and as soon as the bully turned around, Reid's fist landed square across his jaw.

"What the fuck!" Aaron yelled.

"I told you to leave the kid alone, didn't I." Reid growled.

"What the fuck ever. Go have fun with your boyfriend or something. The whole school knows the two of you are lovers anyway." Aaron muttered as he walked away.

Reid snatched one of the pages out of the air and looked it over. It was a dragonfly, so intricately detailed, Reid half-expected it to fly away.

"Thanks for that." Tyler said softly.

"No problem. Aaron's a fucking dick on the best of days." Reid shrugged, still looking over the picture.

"I've noticed."

"Hey, Florida, did you draw this?" Reid asked, showing Tyler the picture.

"Yeah. I like bugs." Tyler shrugged with a blush.

"It's good." Reid said as he handed the boy the picture.

"Thanks."

"You know, if you ever get tired of eating alone and dealing with that godless deuche monster, you can always come and sit with me and the guys." Reid suggested.

"Maybe I will." Tyler smiled nervously.

The bell rang and Tyler nearly ran from the courtyard. Reid looked down as something hit his leg and rustled around. It was bone-colored paper, the kind you use to sketch. He picked the paper up and looked it over. It was a damn good sketch of his face in the center and along the edges of the paper were various other doodles; Pictures of him with the lower body of a seal, or with the wings of a dragonfly... In the corner was Tyler's name. Reid smiled to himself.

"I heard you decided to gang up on my buddy Aaron with your four little friends."

Tyler groaned. It was just his luck. He'd let someone stick up for him, and then he'd get his ass kicked by three seniors. The first hit split the inside of his lip. The second didn't connect.

"Just fucking like you guys, isn't it?"

Tyler turned and looked to the voice. It was Reid's crew standing behind the seniors. The one speaking was their "leader", the boy with the dark flicker in his old-seeming eyes, Chase.

"The fuck is he to you?" One of the seniors asked.

"A friend of ours. Now back the fuck off and leave him the fuck alone. You wanna punch someone, I'd suggest Aaron Abbott. He did, after all, fuck most of the cheerleading squad. And the ones that he didn't fuck at the last rave at The Dells, well... Let's just say that when you get a phone call form Lizzie tomorrow saying something about not remembering most of last night, I heard Aaron talking to that sleeze Jared about buying Rophynol (sp?)." Chase said nonchalantly.

"Aaron was buying Roofies to use on Lizzie?" The biggest of the group said, suddenly uninterested in Tyler.

"Just telling you that I heard Aaron complaining about how he couldn't, and I quote him directly, 'get ahold of that Grade-A prime beef Dean was pounding'. And the next thing you know, he's talking to Jared about Roofies." Chase shrugged.

The three seniors released Tyler and ran down the halls, yelling something about the integrity of their girls being at stake.

"You alright, Florida?"

Tyler looked up at Reid, not realizing he'd fallen. Tyler nodded and touched the inside of his lip. He cringed when it came away bloody.

"What dorm are you in?" Reid asked.

"245." Tyler sighed.

"Come on. Let's get you home then." Reid sighed, helping Tyler up. Chase whispered something to Caleb and the two of them seemed to disappear with how fast they left the scene. Pogue offered Tyler a smile and then walked down the hall.

Tyler walked with Reid towards his dorm.

"Look, about those guys... Aaron's got a few good connections at this school. And granted they'll be pretty much gone at the end of the year, but Aaron'll be a senior by then and he'll have just about a whole army of people to gang up on you just 'cause he tells them to. I'd really feel better if you started hanging out with us a bit more." Reid sighed as Tyler reached for his dorm key.

"Trying to convince me to join a gang?" Tyler asked with a smirk.

"Are you smiling?" Reid asked with mock bewilderment.

"Maybe I am. But I'll be fine. I've dealt with this shit for as long as I can remember. It's not easy being the shy kid." Tyler shrugged. He pushed open the door to his room. He paused before hesitantly asking, "Uh, do you... wanna come in?"

"Sure." Reid smiled.

The room was somewhere between exactly what Reid was expecting and nothing he'd ever hoped to see. Above Tyler's bed was a shadowbox full of rare and exotic butterflies pinned to the black velvet underneath. All over the walls were sketches of various bugs, some of the sketches overlapping. Everything was neat and tidy. Everything had a place and was in its place. Reid had a sneaking suspicion that all of the nature magazines stacked in the corner were stacked in alphabetical order according to magazine title and then in chronological order. Reid noticed an open space on the wall near the desk and approached it. Reid reached into his back pocket and unfolded an ivory slip of paper, pulling a lone and empty thumbtack out of the wall and using it to secure the picture to the wall.

"What are you... Oh my God." Tyler whispered. He was sure those seniors had beaten him to death and he was in hell for something he had done horribly wrong. The picture he'd lost two weeks ago when Aaron had stolen his sketch book. The sketch of Reid.

"Look, about that sketch--" Tyler was cut off.

"I like it." Reid shrugged.

"What?"

"I like it."

"You don't think it's... I dunno... Gay?" Tyler asked hesitantly as he slowly approached Reid.

The blond turned around and looked down at the boy that was very nearly cowering near him. Reid gently touched Tyler's cheek and the boy looked up quickly, startled by the physical contact.

"I said I like it." Reid murmured, leaning forward so his lips brushed Tyler's. He pulled away and looked into Tyler's bewildered eyes. Reid put a hand on the base of Tyler's neck and pulled the smaller boy closer to him, pressing his lips more firmly to Tyler's. Tyler threw his arms around Reid's neck and was suddenly glad Aaron had scattered all those pages in his sketchbook.

"I want you to be _my_ little artist." Reid purred. There was something so totally possessive about the way Reid was talking... Tyler gave up on thinking the third time Reid kissed him.

They were laying on Tyler's bed some time after their make-out session, staring at the ceiling and listening to the birds sing outside.

"Why bugs?" Reid asked.

"Huh?"

"Why bugs?"

"There was this kid I knew when I was in like... the third grade. Said I reminded him of an inchworm he once saw. Said that this worm saw the shadow of a bird and just... freaked out. Started looking for cover. Of course, worms don't have eyes or even an amygdala to feel fear, but it was the concept. He said that I saw the idea of a threat and was freaking out over that. He told me I was jumping at shadows like that worm. And for some reason, bugs have just kinda facinated me ever since." Tyler shrugged.

"Even though worms aren't bugs."

"It's the concept." Tyler rolled his eyes.

"I know, Florida. I know." Reid kissed Tyler's forehead.

"Why do you call me that?"

"Call you Florida? Because it think it's cute. And you remind me of Florida when you finally smile. Reminds me of warm sunshine and cloudless skies." Reid shrugged.

"Please. It's _always_ raining in Florida. Or at least cloudy." Tyler huffed.

"It's the concept."

Tyler said nothing and Reid sighed.

"You have to learn to relax, Tyler. Worry isn't your color." Reid smiled.

"Who says I'm worried?"

"Because your friend all those years ago was right. You're always jumping at the concept of danger. Do me a favor, Tyler. Let me worry for you."

"I've seen you. You don't worry. Ever."

"Which is the idea. I promise you that I will never, ever hurt you or ever let you be hurt as long as it's in my power to stop it." Reid murmured.

"If you ever go back on that promise--"

"I told you to stop worrying." Reid said before kissing Tyler again. The smaller boy smiled and nestled closer to Reid.

He no longer had a reason to wear his heart on his sleeve, or stick to his sketchbook, the only thing he knew. These strangers with their crippling glances and painful judgements meant nothing to Tyler anymore. He had his safety net now.

* * *

**A/N2:** The reason I decided to call Tyler "Florida" is because I just moved from Florida to Maryland, and yes, that's my newest nickname. -_-' Everyone is picking on me because it was 45 degrees outside and I was freezing my ass off and complaining about hypothermia. According to Wendy: "Just wait, Florida. Wait 'til this winter when you have snow to shovel." So I decided to throw a bit of my name-calling torment onto BabyBoy. :D lol Hope you guys enjoyed this one.


	47. Anonymous

**A/N:** I was surfing the net the other day and I came across this string of pictures posted from /b/ talking about "anonymous". Well... I decided to see what UrbanDictionary had to say and it spawned this little gem. :3 **_IMPORTANT NOTE:_** You might wanna grab a sandwich and a drink, 'cos long fic is long. XD

**julliette:** This one isn't Reid/Tyler, but to say more would kill the fic. :3

**Dark Angel Kira:** I lived in the snow, like 10 years ago almost. After nearly a decade of living in Florida, I am no longer prepared for this weather. XD

**philomina:** I wanted to make Reid seem a little less prickish. It was for the best. :3

**forgetMEalways:** Posessive Reid is always a turn on. :D

**beginningxofxthexend:** Yeah, I thought the little "annoying" nickname would make things seem a little more real. And it doesn't seem like you've jinxed Malachite and Epsilon. The bastards come and go as they please anyways, lol.

* * *

Caleb sat at his laptop, bored as he could physically be without being comatose. He had updated his facebook, myspace, twitter, wordpress blog, and livejournal. He'd visited every funny website he knew of to look for a cheap laugh. He logged onto his instant messenger and sighed. Reid was on. But the last thing Caleb wanted to do was start a conversation with Reid. The blond was abnormally prickish over the internet, seeing as how Caleb would have to walk all the way to Reid's dorm to hit him and he was usually too lazy to bother. So Reid said whatever he wanted without restraint. Tyler was on, but he was always too busy working on something to really ever talk, so that was a waste... There was a chime from the computer and a new message popped up.

"**You have one new message from: **Anonymous2806. **Accept message?" **

Curiosity got the better of Caleb and he clicked the "yes" button. If it was one of those bots or annoying people, he could always block the screen name later.

**Anonymous2806:** I was waiting for you to log on.

Caleb blinked at the screen. Who in the hell was "Anonymous", and how in the hell did they know him? He quickly typed a response.

**ZedRising:** Who the hell is this?

**Anonymous2806:** I wouldn't be very anonymous if I told you who I was, now would I?

**ZedRising:** How do you know me?

**Anonymous2806:** Easy. We have class together.

**ZedRising:** Which class?

**Anonymous2806:** Well, for starters, there's third period Advanced Placement Literature.

**ZedRising:** For starters?

**Anonymous2806:** We have a few classes together. -shrug-

Caleb stared at the computer screen. Who in the holy goat _was_ this guy?

**ZedRising:** Why are you messaging me?

**Anonymous2806:** To make it easier to tell you the truth.

**ZedRising:** And what's the truth?

Caleb tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for a response.

**Anonymous2806:** In my time I've known contessas, milkmaids, courtesans and novices, whores, gypsies, jades and little boys, but nowhere in God's western world have I found anyone to love but you.

Caleb paused, running the lines through his head, wondering why they felt so familiar. He ran the phrase through a search engine and it clicked.

**ZedRising:** "The Lion in Winter". It was a good play.

**Anonymous2806:** I know. I saw you there. All three nights it was shown at the theatre downtown.

**ZedRising:** What the fuck are you? Some kind of stalker?

Caleb was beginning to get pissed. He wanted to know who this guy was.

**Anonymous2806:** I'm the farthest thing from a stalker. Unfortunately, I also have to leave. Goodbye, Caleb.

_**Anonymous2806 **has logged off. All messages sent will be deilvered to the user when they log back on._

Caleb re-read the conversation he had with the anonymous person. He would say stranger, but whoever it was knew a hell of a lot about him. Caleb saved the chat log for future studies and closed the laptop. He decided that the best thing to do would be to head out into town and get something to eat and stop thinking about whoever was sending him the messages. He shrugged on his coat and grabbed his scarf and opened the door. Where Tyler stood, about to knock.

"Uh, hi." Tyler smiled.

"What's up?" Caleb asked. Tyler never went to Caleb except for when something was wrong.

"You know what, it's nothing. You look like you're going somewhere. Don't worry about it." Tyler said with a forced smile.

"I was heading to town for some air and a little food. I could use the company." Caleb said.

"Okay."

Neither one of them spoke until they were on the road when Caleb asked, "You gonna tell me what's wrong?"

"It's Reid. We've been together for a year and a half today and he doesn't remember why it's such a special day." Tyler said, voice heavy with exhasperation.

Caleb chuckled.

"You think it's funny?" Tyler asked.

"Tyler, it's _Reid_ we're talking about. Be glad he remembers the whole-year anniversaries. He's the type of guy to wake up on Thanksgiving day and wonder what the fuck is up with all the turkey." Caleb pointed out.

"Yeah... I guess you're right." Tyler sighed.

Caleb's mind began to wander, now that Tyler's problem was sorted out. He had his own issues to deal with. It was just his luck to want a little adventure to take his mind off of being so bored and end up with someone sending him anonymous messages to annoy the fuck out of him and wonder just who may or may not be stalking him.

"So what's wrong with you?" Tyler asked.

"Instant Messanger service."

"What?"

"I logged in and got an IM from someone with the screen name of 'Anonymous2806', and they won't tell me who they are." Caleb sighed.

"Anonymous, huh? Next time they log on, ask them what their vow is."

"What?" Caleb asked, sparing a glance at his childhood friend.

"Ask them what their vow is. How they answer may determine if you ever figure out who they are." Tyler shrugged.

"What do you mean?"

"For the love of everything sacred... You spend most of your day locked up in your room on your computer and you don't know the story behind /b/ and Anonymous? The hell is wrong with you?" Tyler asked.

"Just tell me." Caleb growled.

"Well... How you view us depends on which side you're on."

"Us?" Caleb asked. Tyler winced.

"I'm one of those Anonymous. Just chill out and listen. Some people view Anonymous as the 'Final Boss of the Internet'. There are a few bad apples that ruined our whole lot. A few assholes hiding behing Anonymous hacked a couple of myspace accounts because they were being made fun of and it all went downhill, so now we catch a bad rap. Those of us that still stand up for the Anonymous Manifesto hold true to keeping the internet machine turning. Next time you log onto one of your cheap laugh sites, look at the comments left. Count up how many of them are absolutely hilarious and worth reading. Now see how many of them were left by 'Anonymous'." Tyler said, his eyes lighting up.

"You're part of this cult?"

"It's not a cult." Tyler huffed.

"You said it depends on which side you're on, how you view Anonymous." Caleb reminded him, trying to get back on track.

"Right. Then there are those who think we're all just a bunch of lifeless retards with nothing better to do than flame people and hate on everyone. And sometimes they're right. You should try it sometime."

"Okay. So how do I know if this guy is sticking to the 'Anonymous Manifesto'?" Caleb asked.

Tyler opened Caleb's glovebox and pulled out a notebook and a pen that Caleb kept stashed there in case he got a phone call and needed to write something down or something. Tyler started writing furiously.

"This is the beginning of the 'Anonymous Vow'. The whole thing is long as fuck, so mostly it just goes by this. If you ask who he is and he gives you the 'A For Anonymous' speech, he obviously knows what he's talking about." Tyler said, ripping the paper out.

"The 'A For Anonymous' speech?"

"You know that scene from 'V for Vendetta'? The one where the guy uses all of those words beginning with 'v'? Same thing, but with 'a' words." Tyler shrugged.

"You guys really have no life." Caleb laughed as he parked the car.

"Any idea who this guy could be?" Caleb asked as they walked into the diner.

"Please. The whole idea behind Anonymous is anonyminity. There's no way to tell."

Caleb wasn't much of a conversationalist that night. He didn't really say much to Tyler, being too busy wondering what in the fuck was going on with his own life. When he got back to the dorm and logged on to his messenger service, Anonymous was waiting.

**Anonymous2806:** Well hello there.

**ZedRising:** Do you have a vow?

**Anonymous2806:** We are Anonymous. We are legion. We are one. We do not forgive. We do not forget. We will crush anything that stands in our way. But we will be hailed as saviors of the internet.

**ZedRising:** Who. Are. You.

**Anonymous2806:** Aha! To be astounded. An association armed with an arsenal of asinine ambiguously adult anonymii. This ambidextrous armada, no mere attack force, is an astounding assembly of articulate aristocrats, assuming the collective affliction has not atrophied. Another day of ardent internet argument arises. Under the ambiguous aegis of internet anonyminity, all annoying ascertations may be announced with reckless abandon. The armored amplifiers of Info, the antithesis of approbates, aided and abbetted by all things arbitrary. Apology? Do not forgive, do not forget. Alas, I am all aflutter. You may call me "Anonymous".

Caleb nearly smashed his head into the table.

**ZedRising:** I'm never going to know who you are, am I?

**Anonymous2806: **You will. Eventually.

**ZedRising:** How soon is 'eventually'?

**Anonymous2806:** Depends on how well you play along, Caleb.

**ZedRising:** How do I play along?

**Anonymous2806:** Let's call it a scavenger hunt.

**ZedRising:** A scavenger hunt?

**Anonymous2806:** You have until sunrise to figure out where I am and possibly who I am before you reach me.

**ZedRising:** What's my first clue?

**Anonymous2806: **Go to your "Dr. Phil", your man with all the answers. He'll have clue number two.

_**Anonymous2806 **has logged off. All messages sent will be delivered to the user when they log back on._

Caleb sat back and thought. Who did he go to when he had questions? Well... If it was a homework question, he went to Tyler. If it was a question about the day-to-day workings of life, he went to Tyler... He realized the only thing he would ever ask Reid would be which girls had STDs and the only thing he'd ever ask Pogue is the details of the newest Ducatti model. But if Tyler was who he was supposed to see...

"Why in the fuck didn't you tell me you know who he is?" Caleb demanded when Tyler opened the door.

"Shut the fuck up! Reid's asleep." Tyler hissed, stepping outside and gently closing the door behind him.

"Answer my question!"

"Because he asked me to uphold the ideals of Anonymous. There's a part of the Code that he used against me. 'Betrayal of Anonymous is both impossible and unaccepted'. Besides, this is more fun."

"Why'd you tell me all that bullshit about Anonymous if it wouldn't get me anywhere?" Caleb demanded.

"Because it was an agreement that he and I had worked out. If you were really curious to know about him, you'd ask him what I told you to ask. If you asked him those questions, then he'd know you were interested and continue on with this little plan."

Caleb opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by Tyler.

"Look, the longer you stand here arguing with me, the less time you have to figure out who this guy is. So take this," Tyler handed him an envelope, "And get the fuck out of here."

Caleb looked down at the expensive-looking envelope and saw his name written neatly in black ink. He flipped it over and saw a red wax seal holding the envelope closed. Caleb closely examined the symbol and was irritated to find that it was a run-of-the-mill, garden-variety Celtic Cross stamped in the center, a print that could be made by anyone. Caleb sighed and broke the seal, pulling out the stationary from inside.

_"Caleb, you'll find your second clue in the Hollow of your youth. Think carefully and don't run around like a headless chicken and your night may not be so Sleepy. Love, **Anonymous**."_

Caleb read the letter over to himself a few times. The hollow of his youth? Why was it capitalized? And what an odd choice of words... Caleb read it again, looking for patterns in the writing. Everything was so carefully written. Why were certain words... Caleb smiled to himself and shoved the letter into his back pocket. Sleepy Hollow. The 1999 Tim Burton rendition with Johnny Depp was his favorite when he was younger, about 9 or 10. He watched the move two or three times a day for nearly a year. He ran back to his dorm room and grabbed the DVD case from the shelf. He opened the box and saw a bit of paper with his name written on it tucked inside.

_"So far, so good. You'll find the next clue where Persephone's downfall and the curse of Midas met and then met a messy, crimson end. Love, **Anonymous**."_

"Midas had the golden touch. Persephone... Persephone... She was the one that was kidnapped by Hades... What was her downfall?" Caleb asked himself.

It was some sort of food... A fruit... Crimson...

"Pomegranite! A golden pomegranite? Right! When Aaron took that girl's art project and tossed it at the library!" Caleb smiled to himself.

Caleb hurried through the cold night to the side of the library where Aaron had proved himself the biggest dick ever and ruined a girl's project. He approached the wall slowly, carefully, not wanting to miss the clue. He saw someone materialize from the shadows and recognized her as Dahlia, the girl that sat next to him in his Economics course. She walked towards him, a pristine white envelope in her hand.

"You're in on this?" Caleb asked.

"I owed him a favor."

"Who is he?"

"He's anonymous until you find him. That's the way the game's gotta work." Dahlia shrugged, brushing a bit of her blue hair away from her face.

Caleb took the envelope from her with a sigh.

_"Caleb, you're getting closer now, much closer. Go to the pool. Locker 551. The combination is the end of the world. Love, Anonymous." _

Caleb walked slowly to the pool, turning the thought over in his head. End of the world? It had to be a date... Caleb slipped into the pool unnoticed and walked to the locker room. He soon found number 551 and looked at the lock. The first thing he thought to try was "12/12/12". That didn't work. He spun the dial back to zero.

"When else would the world end?" Caleb asked, leaning his head against the locker. He saw something sticking out of the bottom of the locker and he gently tugged the paper out, hoping it was his clue. He sighed. It was a picture of a zip-up hoodie with a skeletal system on it.

"Donnie Fucking Darko." Caleb smirked to himself. He spun the dial to "28/06/42/12"(1) and the lock popped open. He opened the locker up and found a white envelope sitting in the center on a bed of rose petals. He broke open the seal and read the note.

_"Where you go to think is where you should go to ponder the truth and what awaits you. I love you, Anonymous."_

Caleb knew exactly where Anonymous was leading him. There was an old, twisted tree with branches so low they almost touched the ground in some places. It stood alone in a rocky stretch of land where only the strongest of weeds could grow. Caleb let his mind wander as his feet followed the painfully familiar path. What truth would await him? Probably a hint to find the next clue. Caleb sighed and looked up when he saw rocks under his feet instead of grass. He slowly approached the tree that was devoid of it's leaves except for a few sturdy patches. He walked up to the tree and put a hand to the trunk. He heard a thud behind him and turned to see someone crouched on one of the low limbs near him, their hand holding a branch above for stability.

"Hello?" Caleb asked, slowly inching closer to the person, wishing it weren't so dark.

"Hello, Caleb." The person drawled.

"Who are you?"

"Anonymous unmasked." The mystery man whispered as the clouds shifted around the moon. There was a faint flicker of light that barely touched the stranger's face as he leaned a bit closer to Caleb. Caleb took a step closer and was able to begin seeing the outline of the stranger's face. The stranger leaned even closer to Caleb and their lips were brushing. A jolt went through Caleb at the faint contact and he moved closer so their lips were touching fully. The moonlight found a break in the clouds and Caleb stepped back.

The stranger wasn't a stranger after all. His blue eyes seemed more like molten silver and his dark hair was streaked with mercury.

"Chase? You set all of this up?" Caleb asked.

Chase dropped from the tree limb and stood in front of the bewildered teen.

"I did." Chase nodded.

"Why go through all the trouble?"

"Nothing is too much trouble to go through if it's for you."

"Why put up the Anonymous facade?"

"Because you're adorable when you're flustered." Chase smirked, brushing his fingertips across Caleb's face. Caleb leaned into the touch.

"You got Tyler and Dahlia in on it. How?" Caleb asked.

"Tyler's known for a while how I feel about you. His intuitions are damn good for someone who hardly interacts with anyone that's not Reid. And I helped Dahlia cheat on a test so she could pass chemistry last year. I just told her to wait for you to show up and give you the envelope and to refuse to tell you who gave it to her."

"How did you know about me being at the play all three times and this place?"

"I was at the play all three times, too. Sat near you every time. And I followed you here once. I was planning on telling you how I feel and then I saw you climb up the tree and you looked peaceful for once. It was beautiful." Chase smiled.

"So you're telling me that you're an anonymous ninja stalker? Great." Caleb smiled.

Chase didn't say anything. He instead kissed Caleb again as the clouds covered the moon back up. Caleb wrapped his arms around Chase's neck with a flicker of a smile. There was nothing anonymous about his asinine aristocrat anymore.

* * *

(1) In the original Donnie Darko move (They have since released a parallel film, S. Darko), Donnie sees this guy in a bunny suit that tells him he as 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds until the end of the world. Making it Halloween, 1988. Obviously combination locks don't go upt to 88, so I settled for a four number combo. :3

**A/N2:** I realize that this one is really fucking long and, in my opinion, really, really shitty. =/ The problem is that it was the last little real flash of inspiration Epsilon dropped off before he went travelling to Hawaii with some cute myspace boy. -_-' And did I mention Malachite was similarly distracted by the sudden urge to rework a concept for a Torchwood fic? Yeah. So don't hesitate to tell me where I went wrong with this one. I gotta learn to work without the complete cooperation of my Muse and Inspiration. Thanks so much for tolerating me!!!!! I LOVE EACH AND EVERY FUCKING ONE OF YOU!!!!


	48. Runaway

**julliette:**I'm glad you enjoyed the scavenger hunt. It was something I was a bit wary of doing, seeing as how I thought it might drag on forever. XD

**beginningxofxthexend:**I swiped the Anonymous Speech and Anonymous Vow from UrbanDictionary, but the rest was all me. And I felt the need to do a little Chase/Caleb action there. I thought it fit in nicely and I thought the little scavenger hunt was a nice little thing to do, something utterly frustration and entirely Chase. XD

**Ladyv.2102: **Thanks for the glowing review and thanks beyond words for getting my story out there. I really, really appreciate the publicity. :3 And as for being a self-basher: I'm my own worst critic. I mean, I know it sounds horrifically cliche, but it's the truth. I feel like it's my job to point out the faults with my story so no one else is burdened with it. XD

**xxFuturistico:** I understand the whole being grounded thing. I'm totally not supposed to be updating this right now. I have another chapter I have to do to finish up my American Government class and I don't wanna! XD I walked around with "Bird and the Worm" stuck in my head for three days before I sat down and put it into a story, lol. I had a friend of mine that used to tell me all the time in class that if I didn't lighten up, I'd end up just like Grandma Death from the Donnie Darko movie, so I know what you mean about ranting. :D

* * *

He sat at the edge of a bar in another town with a name he didn't much care to know. He sipped at his drink and took a drag from his cigarette. He sent a calculating glance around the bar and decided there was no one worth checking out. He knew it would only be a matter of time before he ran out of places to go or his funds were shut off again and he'd have no choice but to go back home. Back to Massachusetts. Back to his abusive mother and his father's grave. Back to the "brothers" that had encouraged him to leave and not come back. Back to the only person that cared if he left... Back to the reason he had to go.

"You want another drink while you sit there and try to have a staring contest with that drink coaster?" The bartender asked, a slight smile on her face.

"Yeah. Sorry to creep you out."

"I've seen stranger things than an upset blond staring down a coaster." She laughed.

Reid forced a smile of his own and watched the red-head make him another drink, not thinking about the girl, but thinking about how he'd have to go home eventually. He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and opened it. He cringed when he looked inside. He had enough money for his drinks, his hotel, his breakfast in the morning, and food and gas for the long drive east... He'd been hoping to squeeze another two weeks out of his cash, but it looks like his drinking habit finally caught up with him...

It was early when Reid rolled out of bed and he was semi-hungover. He climbed into his red '67 Mustang, his most beloved possession, and headed down to first a convenience store and then some rinky-dink little diner. He had aspirin and a stack of blueberry waffles for breakfast before he climbed into his car and rested his head against the steering wheel. He started the car's engine and plugged his iPod into the stereo system. He pushed play on the iPod and pulled out of the parking lot.

He spent most of his time just staring out the windshield and thinking about what his homecoming would be like. He eventually got bored and set the iPod to shuffle, boredly absent-mindedly singing along with the lyrics. It was when he stopped at a rest stop for some vending machine snacks and a hot cup of cheap coffee that his thoughts turned serious...

What would he say when he saw those blue eyes again? How could he possibly hope to react to that? What was he going to do? Reid pushed the thoughts back, climbed into his car and sipped at his slightly burnt coffee. The only one out of the whole group that gave a damn when he drove off six months ago, when he'd pulled several thousand dollars out of his bank account and drove off with a suitcase in the back of his car and his wallet a few inches thicker.

Reid growled lowly, put the coffee cup in the cup holder, slammed the car into reverse and pulled out of the parking space. He had a very, very long drive ahead of him. Possibly two days if he followed the speed limit and stopped to sleep. But that was something Reid always admired about himself, his ability to stay awake through sheer willpower. And caffeine. He smiled to himself and switched the song again, turned the volume up and drove, trying to keep his mind away from what was waiting for him in Ipswich.

Unfortunately, it didn't work for very long. His thoughts turned again to those blue eyes, the eyes that never judged him, not even when he left... He changed the song to something louder and angrier and he drove faster. He was doing almost 90 and he didn't care. He just had to go home, stay there long enough to smooth things over with his mother, pull a little bit more money out, and drive straight through to California. Maybe not go back to Ipswich. Pull out enough cash to get some flat with a nice view and sell his artwork to make the rent and utility bills. Live painting to painting... Certainly sounded more entertaining than living a lavishly extravagant lifestyle... To keep his mind from returning to the blue-eyed boy waiting in Ipswich, he wondered what it would be like to live on the beach in California... Maybe Santa Monica... Who was he kidding? It didn't matter where he was in California. It beat the hell out of Massachusetts...

He stopped later that afternoon for some food. He chose to listen to the conversations of others instead of being left alone with his thoughts again. There was a young couple behind him that was arguing over whether their wedding invitations should be ivory or bone colored. There was an elderly couple not far off that were trying to decide if they wanted to play Bridge with Maggie and Allan or if they wanted to play Gin-Rummy with Elanore and James. But, seeing as how he'd spent the last month living alone with his thoughts, they inevitably turned inwards. He wondered if he'd ever have to argue about wedding invitations or worry about playing Bridge or Gin-Rummy... Though he hoped that if he ever go that old, Halo would still be an option. He chuckled to himself and drank his coffee. He had a feeling he was going to be very well caffinated by the time he reached Massachusetts. Not that it mattered. He'd suck up to Mommie-dearest and be done with the whole thing within a week or two. And then he'd be gone again. Nothing but a suitcase of clothing, a wallet full of cash, his Mustang and his music...

Doing 90 makes time seem to speed up, Reid noticed. He flew by off-ramp signs trying to lead him to Boston before he'd been on the road for too long. He looked at his dashboard clock and did the math. Eighteen hours on the road. That wasn't so bad... Well, it wasn't, but it was. He had a few more hours and then he'd have to face his mother and everyone else...

He was in town and at a stoplight when he saw familiar sea-colored eyes looking at his car from the sidewalk. Great. He wasn't ready to be found out yet and, just like his luck always was, there was Tyler to throw a wrench in things. It was eleven at night. Everyone should be home in bed. But noooooo. Tyler had to be walking home from the bookstore where he spent nearly every waking moment. The brunette started to slowly walk closer to the car. The light changed and Reid flew onward, trying like hell to get away from the other teen. He glanced in his rearview mirror and saw Tyler pulling his phone out of his pocket. Reid groaned inwardly. It would be a small matter of time before the others knew he was in town again. And then what?

"I didn't think you'd come home this time."

Reid sighed and walked by the living room without a word. He climbed the stairs and headed to his room, tossing his suitcase onto his bed.

"I ran out of cash sooner than expected." Reid said as he went back down the stairs.

"Did you drink it all like your father loved to do?" His mother asked bitterly.

"No. I didn't. I spent most of it on gallery fees." Reid huffed indignantly.

"I'm sure you did. You know, that's why I fell in love with your father, because he was an artist." His mother said softly.

"You've told me. Look, I'm gonna just go up to my room and catch a little sleep. I haven't slept since yesterday. I drove all night." Reid said quickly.

"Right, right. Although Caleb called me and asked if you were really back. He said they were on their way over."

"Why didn't you tell them I was still gone?" Reid demanded.

"Caleb said Tyler saw you on the street."

"Goddamnit, Mom! Just once! Agh! How am I going to.... Fuck!" Reid ran his hands through his hair and tugged at his blond locks.

"You're going to have to face him some time. Why not now? While you're here and before you have time to go to the bank and get enough money to duck out again."

"You don't know what you're doing."

"I know exactly what I'm doing."

"You promised you wouldn't play matchmaker."

"I'm not. You know you love him. He knows he loves you. You know you love eachother. But for the life of me, I can't figure why you keep leaving him behind."

"It's because of _them_, Mother! I told you years ago that I'd be gone the first chance I got."

"Now you need to take a chance of a different kind."

There was a knock at the door before Reid could retort again.

"I won't answer and let them in." Reid said coldly.

His mother rose from her chair and opened the door. And there they were, in his living room. Caleb and Tyler and Pogue and Chase.

"We weren't expecting you back for... Well, ever." Caleb said darkly.

"I like to be unpredictable." Reid said with a cool tone.

"Yeah, just keep pretending you're the innocent one." Tyler huffed.

"I _am_ the innocent one. _I'm_ not the one that told everyone about my problems!" Reid yelled.

"No one told everyone. One person found out--" Pogue started.

"One person was enough! You _know_ how this town likes to talk. You _all_ know. And you fucking did it anyway." Reid's tone was venemous.

"We didn't know word would get out that you were in the Ward." Caleb said calmly.

"Fuck you, Caleb. You knew what would happen the second you told that bitch Sarah. Who went and told Kate. Who had to check with Pogue to see if it was true. Who would never lie to his girlfriend. So Kate went and had to cry about how everything was falling apart to Megan. Who just so happens to sit near Kyra who would never think twice to tell Aaron who told the whole goddamn town!" Reid yelled.

His brothers remained silent.

"That's what I thought. Do you have any idea what it's like to walk through town with people whispering that you're _that_ kid? The one who got sent to the psych ward? You've got no idea what the hell you did to me. _None_." Reid hissed.

"You never gave us a chance to apologize before you left." Tyler spoke up.

"There never should have been anything to apologize about!" Reid screamed.

There was another moment of silence between them.

"I want you to leave." Reid growled.

Caleb, Tyler and Pogue turned away and approached the door.

"Come on Chase." Caleb said as he opened the door.

"Reid and I have unifinished business." Chase said slowly.

"He told us to leave, Chase. You don't want to be rude, do you?" Tyler asked.

"If he throws me out, he throws me out. I'm the only person I can blame. I'll catch up to you guys later." Chase never took his eyes off of Reid.

"Chase..." Caleb started.

"Why don't you boys walk me out to my car? I have a few things I need to pick up since Reid's back home." Mrs. Garwin smiled.

Caleb, Pogue and Tyler walked out the door with Reid's mother close behind.

"I tried to keep it quiet, where you were. I tried telling them to just shut up and not worry about where you were. They said nothing would come of it, that it was just pillow-talk." Chase said quietly.

"Which is why I'm not tossing you out on your ass right now." Reid growled.

"Look, just don't run off in the dead of night again, Reid. I... I can't keep hoping you're going to come back so I can see you but praying that you won't so you don't have to face the humiliation..."

Reid flopped down onto the couch and Chase slowly approached. He felt like he was trying to catch a rabbit, like he had to move slow or Reid would just bolt and he'd never see the boy again.

"I won't be coming back this time." Reid said softly.

Chase sank down on the couch next to Reid.

"Where will you go?"

"I was thinking California. Some place warm... No more snow." Reid smiled.

"Why so far?"

"Because I won't have to bother with people thinking I'm a psychopath." Reid's smile evaporated and his eyes went cold.

"You're not a psychopath. I know that. The others know that."

"But the rest of Ipswich thinks I'm a chainsaw murderer. Christ, I'm bipolar! One of the most common psychological disorders and people freak out."

"I know I freaked out." Chase said.

"What?"

"When I called that night to see if you were okay and your mom answered the phone crying and said she had to send you away, I had a panic attack." Chase smiled gently.

"Why?"

"Because she told me you just freaked out. She said you went from being okay to being pissed off to being depressed. She said you threatened to hurt yourself. I tried to see you in the Ward, but they wouldn't let me in. They said you were sedated and couldn't have visitors." Chase's smile was forced.

"They never told me you tried to see me."

"Every day for almost two weeks. Then I just gave up. Tried coming in on the weekends. They said they were still keeping you on suicide watch and wouldn't let me in. They thought I might set you off and you'd actually find a way to kill yourself."

"No shit?"

"I wouldn't lie to you."

Reid said nothing. He stared at a point on the hideous rug his mother picked out years ago and thought. Three months out on your own tended to make you sit alone with your thoughts more often...

"I'm going to take a few grand from the account this weekend and leave for good. I won't live in Ipswich anymore." Reid finally said.

"So you're just going to run off again and not come back?"

"I'll come back for vacations and to see Mom. But I won't live in Massachusetts again. It's not worth it to me."

"I'm not worth it to you." Chase growled, standing up quickly.

"I never said that."

"No, but you're making it pretty damn clear that's how you feel."

"Will you just sit the fuck down and hear me out!" Reid yelled.

"Why? So you can break up with me before you give me a chance?"

"So I can tell you I want you to come with me!"

The anger in the air drained away.

"What?"

"Pack up your stuff and let's get out of here this weekend. A suitcase full of clothes, that's all you'll need. And once we find a place out there, we come back, pack everything up, and have a moving company drag it out to Cali for us." Reid smiled.

Chase didn't say anything. He turned away from Reid and thought for a few long minutes.

"You want me to just pick up and drive off into the sunset with you and your Mustang?" Chase asked.

"It's not such a bad life." Reid shrugged.

Chase didn't say anything for a long moment, and then, "All I need is a suitcase?"

Reid smiled, stood up and threw his arms around Chase. He kissed the older boy's cheek.

"I'm still upset that you left without telling me goodbye." Chase smirked as he pried Reid's arms from around him.

"How are you still upset about that? I told you why I had to leave!"

"You still owe me." Chase smirked.

"Owe you what? A personalized apology?"

Chase slammed Reid against the wall and ghosted his lips across Reid's neck.

"So _that's_ what I owe you, is it?" Reid asked.

"Did you talk him into staying?" Caleb asked Chase the next morning.

"_Nothing_ could convince him to stay." Chase shrugged.

"Any idea when he's leaving again?" Tyler asked.

"He wouldn't tell me. All he said was that he was headed south. Probably either Florida or Louisiana. He told me he couldn't make up his mind which state, but he knew he wanted to get away from the snow." Chase replied.

"So you have no idea what's going on?" Pogue asked.

"All he kept saying was how upset he was that you guys sold him out." Chase shrugged again. He was glad he was a good liar. That wasn't what Reid had said so often last night. What had really been said was, "Oh, my God, Chase... Oh, God, yes... Oh, oh, fuck... Oh, Chase..." The memory brought a smile to Chase's lips and he quickly pushed it away.

A week later, Caleb was pissed to find Reid had left again and Chase wouldn't answer his phone. He was more than pissed when Chase's mother was sitting in the kitchen of the Garwin Manor talking about how adorable it was the Chase and Reid had gone away together.

Two weeks after that, Chase and Reid returned with big grins and stories of sun-soaked beaches and a flat they'd found with a gorgeous view. Caleb was upset that Chase had been so irresponsible as to run away with Reid without so much as a "goodbye". Chase told him to sit and spin. They quietly spent their spare time packing up their belongings and one day just... left again. This time with a mass text message saying "Cali, here we come... Again." so no one could complain about the lack of goodbyes.

"Do you think they hate us?" Chase asked over the roar of the Mustang's engine and the scream of the song Reid had playing.

"Who cares? We have a new flat to christen." Reid grinned.

Chase laughed and Reid was glad he'd confronted those blue eyes while he was back in Massachusetts...


	49. It begins

**A/N: **Okay, before we get into this, yes this one basically about zombies. Don't judge me. There ARE a shit-ton of "footnotes" in this where things get a little confusing, and that's my fault. **_IMPORTANT NOTE:_** THIS WILL BE AN INTERACTIVE, MULTI-PART FICLET! Read all the way through and check the notes at the bottom to see what to do. :D

**beginningxofxthexend:** I'll agree with you. I have come a long way as a writer. Sometimes I look back at my old fics and wonder what the hell I was thinking when I wrote them, lol. Reid up and leaving was kind of based on what I want to do. I joke with two of my best friends all the time that one day the world is going to wake up and we'll be in another country living it up and they won't know what happened. And I liked the concept of Chase being the good guy in this one because I figured "What the hell? If Reid isn't what everyone thinks he is, why should Chase be any different?"

**blo0d StaiNed Rose:** I'm glad I surprised you. I didn't want it to be obvious that I was doing a Reid/Chase thing there. :D

**julliette:** Ta-da! Newly updated!

**not dead yet:** Well... I'm glad you liked it. :D

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I'm trying to make things different. I'm practicing different character development strategies as well as different characterizations. But I'm glad you like them.

**Highqueen Julietta:** I'm glad you like the series so far.

**xxFuturistico:** Maybe we're sharing a braincell or four. 0.o And I was just feeling like Chase needed to feel the love too. :D

* * *

If there's one thing he hated, it's nervousness. There should never be anything to be nervous about. _Nothing_. There's no fear, just anticipation, and even that should be controlled. It didn't do the image any good. That still didn't explain the way his stomach flip-flopped when he saw _him _again. How many years had it been since they saw eachother? Five? Six? And now look at him, standing on top of the world while it fell apart and he was just as calm as ever. Never mind the fact that the world was ending, never mind the fact that every message-board lurker's dream had come true and there were, in fact, _undead right out side their bunker(!!!!!!)_, he took control of the situation and handled it as if it were nothing, like it was something he did every day.

Reid had been there at least an hour before he managed to talk to _him_. An hour since he was drug into the bunker that was stocked with food and water and munitions, pulled from the grasp of the empty, hollow shells that were clawing at him and taken to safety. And what are the odds that _he_ be there too? _He_ sat down to sip at a bottle of water and look over the multitude of computers that were running on back up power and various generators, many of them solar.

"You look stressed." Reid murmured.

"That tends to happen when the world goes to shit and you're trying to keep it together."

"Why are you so pissed off at me?"

"How many years has it been, Reid? How many goddamn years have passed since we last saw each other? Since we last _talked_?"

Reid was interrupted by a third party before he could answer.

"Uh, sir... We're picking up some heavy activity a few klicks north of here." A nervous young man said quickly.

"More of the shambling dead?" Tyler asked with a sigh.

"Way too fast for that. We're trying to get a good view of it, but we're having difficulties with the camera motors. We can't seem to turn quick enough to get a good view of it." The man said, wringing his hands.

"Fuck it all... Fine. James, go over there and see if the auxilary cameras can get an angle on what we're dealing with. Sampson! Does it look like a caravan of cars, a group of people, what are we dealing with?" Tyler yelled.

"Looks like a small caravan. Possibly passing through." Sampson called.

"Keep an eye on it. Remember the disaster we had with the marauders a few days ago. Keep it tight on lock. Let me know if anything changes or if we get any more blips." Tyler said as he bent over a computer near James. He tapped a few buttons and murmured something to himself.

"We're going to need a team to go out there and check on everything." Tyler sighed.

"S-Sir?" James stammered.

"It has to be fixed. This could pose a big problem for us." Tyler sighed. He chekced his watch and cursed.

"We're too close to sunset to risk it. James, be ready to switch to night vision on all cameras. Make sure this is all recording. I'll watch the monitors while you got let Kent know it's time for his shift." Tyler sighed, rubbing his eyes.

"When do _you_ get a break?" Reid asked.

"Rarely. I'll steal a few hours of sleep here and there. Most of my time is spent _being responsible._" The emphasis he put on those words had the desired effect of making Reid cringe.

"Look... It's not... I never wanted... Dammit Tyler." Reid sighed, running a hand through his hair.

A girl saved the moment from being more awkward by walking quickly out of one of the back rooms with James following close behind her. Her dark hair was pulled into a loose ponytail that was slowly coming undone and her clothes were rumpled and wrinkled, but her eyes were bright and focused.

"James, that's _Kairah_. I said to get _Kent_. Now, I know they're twins, but I'd hope you could tell the difference between the two of them." Tyler sighed.

"Kent's up puking up internal organs, boss. No hope of him being useful. Figured I'd take his shift." Kairah shrugged.

"You up for the work?" Tyler asked.

"Even in my sleep I'm work ready. Besides, I slept _twelve hours_. I'm good for the rest of the week."

"You start drooping, I'm pulling you out and taking over myself." Tyler warned.

"Chillax, boss. We still got a shit-ton of those energy drinks in the back. I get tired, I'll just have your new blond little friend grab me a few." Kairah said shortly.

She started tapping away at they keys and muttered something about increasing motor output to get the cameras back up on par. Tyler walked away and turned his attention to a monitor not far off.

"Eh, boss! Kent wanted me to tell you to get some sleep sometime tonight, by the way." Kairah called. Tyler rolled his eyes.

"When _was_ the last time you slept?" Reid asked.

Tyler checked the calendar on the computer.

"Almost two days ago."

"Christ, Ty. You need to get some sleep. This isn't healthy." Reid growled.

"Look Reid, as much as I love my team, and as much as I trust their training as much as mine, if it weren't for me, this place would fall to shit. I have to take care of this place." Tyler hissed.

Reid studied Tyler carefully. Reid knew while they were in high school that Tyler had been recruited by the CIA, knew that his best friend was being scouted by every major intelligence organization in the country, and a few in Europe. Tyler had scored nearly perfect on his ASVAB(1), had gotten the attention of everyone. And had decided to join the Air Force, do a few years, and start to work for the CIA. Tyler knew what was happening before anyone else did. He'd known to get to safety, known to get to one of the bunkers in the middle of nowhere, known to stock up on everything they could possibly need, known just how to handle the situation. That was something Reid admired about his younger friend. That, and the new bit of muscle he'd put on... Tyler was no longer the scrawny little whelp he used to be. He was more of a whelp with understated musculature.

"Boss, that Caravan has passed out of range. We're not picking up anything larger than a few morbidly obese zombits(2)." Sampson called.

"Go ahead and get Haven up. Time for him to start his shift. Night's falling." Tyler sat at the desk Sampson had been operating while the replacement was roused from bed.

"Get out of my seat and into bed." Haven ordered, pulling the chair out from the desk. Tyler stood up and glared at the taller boy. With his short blond hair and bright blue eyes, it was easy to tell just how English Haven was.

"You're lucky I like you." Tyler growled, getting out of the chair.

"I'm sure you say that to all of the boys." Haven winked at Reid. Something about that statement and gesture made Reid incredibly angry.

Tyler flitted about the large room for several minutes before he finally sat down behind a large desk covered in maps and papers.

"Psst."

Reid turned to the sound and saw Kairah waving him over. Reid slowly approached her.

"Grab a chair, have a seat. We need to talk." Kairah whispered.

Reid pulled up a rolly-chair and sat near Kaihra, whose eyes remained fixed on her screens, flitting back and forth between them at the slightest hint of movement.

"It's a good thing you showed up when you did." Kairah said.

"Why's that?" Reid asked.

"Before you got here, he was a total wreck. Didn't bat an eye at anything that had a heartbeat. Sure he cared about us, but he only _paid attention_ to the shambling dead out there." Kaihrah murmured.

"What?"Reid asked, clearly dumbfounded. It certainly didn't seem like Tyler was paying him any mind...

"Trust us. Whatever you got going with the boss, you better get it back on track. God only knows how close he is to being completely crazy." Haven agreed. Reid cast a glance over his shoulder and saw Tyler leaning over a map, making small marks and referencing another map and then checking his computer.

"Has it really been two days since he slept last?" Reid asked them.

"Three and a half, really." Kairah shrugged.

"Three and a half days?" Reid asked.

"He's gone longer." Haven pointed out.

"Oh yeah. The last time we had a swarm of the undead head this way, he didn't sleep until they were all decimated. Almost a week suriving on energy drinks and NoDoz pills." Kairah agreed.

"And you just let him?" Reid demanded.

"He outranks us. Outranks anyone that ever passed through this bunker. You don't really boss someone like Simms around. I heard some pretty spooky stories about him." Haven said.

"What kinds of stories?" Reid asked, growing suspicious.

"There was this guy when he did basic training for the Air Force that just wouldn't leave him alone. Apparently Simms was torn up about losing touch with an old friend of his and this guy wouldn't shut up about it. I heard Simms freaked the fuck out and rewired the guy's alarm clock." Kairah murmured.

"So what? It went off a few hours late? Played Italian opera and wouldn't turn off?" Reid rolled his eyes.

"Wired it so it set off a few home-made flashbang grenades.. Guy had to go to the med wing for a month with a ruptured eardrum and facial lacerations. They could never prove it was Simms, but no one else was ballsy enough to pull it off and no one else could make a flashbang from spare parts laying around." Kairah said seriously.

"You expect me to believe _Baby Boy_ knowingly and willingly sent someone to the hospital? No. He's not like that." Reid said in disbelief.

"How long have you known him?" Haven asked, turning his blue eyes away from the screen and focusing on Reid.

"Since we were kids. We go way the fuck back."

"When was the last time you spoke to him?" Haven pressed.

"Three years ago or so. He was still in the Air Force back then."

"Being a Spook changes you. I can count on one hand the number of people who have the same level of security clearance he does. There's no telling how much shit he's seen in the past three years." Kairah huffed.

There was a crash from Tyler's desk and the three of them whipped around to see the C.O (3) of the compound with his head in his hands, staring at the maps and muttering something about the figures not being right, about the topographers having their information wrong. He'd slammed a calculator onto the desk. along with a compass.

"Where are those energy drinks you were talking about?" Reid asked Kairah without looking away.

"See that door over there?" Kairah pointed.

"Yeah."

"Go through there, down the corridor, and open the third door on your right. The code for the keypad is 0-6-0-4. You got all that?" Kairah asked.

"Yeah. Out the door, down the hall, third on the right, 0-6-0-4."

"Good. Bring me one." Kairah smiled.

"Sure."

Reid followed the girl's instructions and was greeted by the sight of rows and rows of refrigerators and boxes of non-perishable foods. He opened the first fridge he came to and was greeted by a glorious sight: the energy drinks. The last thing he wanted to do was go through all of those boxes and refrigerators to find what he was after. He gathered one for him, one for Tyler, and one for Kairah and turned around. He froze. There was an empty shell of a man standing behind him, his black eyes glassy, his face haggard and pale, and his clothes looking like they had certainly seen better days.

"So you're the one they pulled from the fray." The man rasped. Reid felt an inexplicable wave of relief.

"Y-Yeah. Reid. Garwin." Reid said, holding a hand out.

"I'm Kent. If you've spent any amount of time in the tech room within the past few minutes, I'm assuming you've met my sister Kairah." Kent said as he shook Reid's hand.

"Yeah. Yeah, I've met her. You scare the shit out of me, coming out of nowhere like that. And I hate to break it to you, but you kind of look like one of _them_." Reid said.

"Got a killer case of the flu. Nothing too bad. It'll pass. I'm hoping it jumps to our C.O. God knows he could use some 'sick-leave'."

"I can believe it, from what I've heard." Reid sighed.

"Well, I hope you don't mind my rudeness, but I'm just after some Giner Ale and then it's back to quarters for me. Nice to meet you, kid." Kent patted Reid's shoulder as he shuffled towards the frigde.

Reid retraced his steps and reentered the tech room. He set one of the blue bottles on Kairah's desk and took the other two to Tyler's.

"You look like you could use a pick-me-up." Reid murmured.

Tyler glanced up from one of the charts, popped the lid off the bottle and took a long drink. He set the bottle back down and started looking over the maps again.

"Look, I know you're pissed at me. Falling out of touch was never part of the plan. I really didn't mean it." Reid sighed.

"It wouldn't have made a bit of difference. From the time I left the Air Force up until the outbreak, I didn't speak to a single person outsde of the Agency. We would have lost touch eventually."

"That's not the point, Tyler."

"Then what is the point?" Tyler turned his empty and tired eyes to Reid.

"The point is that I don't even know who you are anymore. What happened to you?"

"I spent three years in the Air Force and three in the CIA. The things that I've seen would blow your mind. There's no humanity left in the world." Tyler returned his attention to the maps.

"What could convince you that there's no humanity?"

Tyler sighed and set the compass down again, sighing, but not looking at Reid. His eyes remained fixed on the contour lines of the map.

"My time at the Air Force was just to pay for my college degree. I never finished. The CIA approached me before I could get my degree. A couple of Spooks in suits cornered me after a lecture and told me they were interested in my talents. They offered more than the Air Force did and more than I would get with my degree. At least for the first decade or so... So they pulled me from the Force and stuck me behind a desk, cracking ciphers, translating anything that came through that I could read..." Tyler paused and took a sip of the drink, still not looking at Reid. He picked up a pencil and made a few marks before he continued, still scanning the map.

"They gave me a clearance that people could only dream of. Beyond Classified, beyond Top Secret, beyond Super Secret... I used to call it 'Uber Secret' Clearance. Officially it was called Kratos Level. The top-brass bastards had a few grandsons and a twisted sense of humor... They decided it was appropriate. They decided that what was contained in these files could very well bring down every society we have today... Kind of like Kratos destroyed an entire way of life by killing a god... My clearance card didn't even have my clearance level on it. It just had a barcode and a blood-colored stripe at the top above my picture... The passwords to access Kratos Level files were thirty characters long and complete gibberish."

"What was in the files? Or will you have to kill me after you tell me?" Reid half-joked. Tyler's eyes scanned the map again and he highlighted a few portions. He took a breath and placed his palms on the table on either side of the map.

"The things I saw in those files... You like to say 'can't be unseen', but you don't know what it means... Damn near every country in the world has violated almost every law set down by the Genevia Convention, by the UN, by _human nature_... Those news reporters who blame violent movies and video games for violent people? They should turn it around. The Resident Evil franchise was based off of a failed experiment that almost broke free in northern Canada. The X-Men movies, talking about Wolverine being experimented on? Close enough. People with higher-level intelligences are tested like fucking lab rats to try and create psyco-kinetic warriors... And this was going on _in our country_. All of those people whining about improper treatment of criminals at Guantanamo Bay and right next door there's some poor fool crying himself to sleep because Uncle Sam decided to jam a goddamned microchip in his frontal lobe to record his brainwave activity to see how they could maximize the output." Tyler said bitterly. Reid found himself at a loss for words. If it had been anyone other than Tyler telling him these things, he would have refused to believe them.

"That's what they had you do all those years?" Reid asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I would sift through the files, I would encode them, send them off to another facility where someone else just like me would crack open the file and pass it on to their higher-ups for review, and then they'd send back an encrypted response and they would just bounce these ideas back and forth...

"We first heard about the infection almost a year ago. It was supposed to be a cure for the AIDS virus that was developed by the World Health Organization. They took it to Africa and decided to test it there in secret. Who would miss a few AIDS-infected villagers from Bum-Fuck Africa anyway? At first, they thought the results were good. The day after the shot, the people started to look healthier, had more energy... They decided that was just the placebo effect, decided that they should run a few more tests... By the end of the second day, they were dead. WHO decided to autopsy the bodies, see what caused them to shut down. Fuckers had a heartattack when their little village guinea pig decided he was going to wake up and try to eat them. We got word of it first. One of the people who decided to OK Operation: Anigrides was over there, had Kratos Clearance... Sent us a satellite-phone call and told us what was going on." Tyler paused and rearraged the maps so he was looking at a different one with the older one nearby for comparison.

"What happened?" Reid asked, his throat dry.

"That little village in the middle of Africa that was bombed supposedly by a neighboring warlord? That was us. It was the fucking _Enola Gay_(4) all over again... Except this time we kept it quiet. Too bad we didn't realize it jumped the speicies barrier. Think '28 Days Later' in reverse. (5)"

"And it just spread from there." Reid whispered.

"And it just spread from there. So excuse my bitterness if I'm a little pissy about the whole infection and my lack of faith in humanity. I'm sure that somewhere, Mother Teresa is churning in her grave at the atrocities going on."

"Assuming she's still _in_ her grave." Reid smirked.

"Don't be stupid. It's virally based, moron. No hearbeat, no way for the blood to circulate, no way for the infection to spread. Really, Reid. I knew you were slow, but this just tops it." There was a hint of a smile on Tyler's face.

Before Reid could comment, Kairah yelled, "We have motion in the southeast vector, unable to get a clear visual. Appeared to be humanoid in shape and motion."

"Second that. RADAR shows it to be of roughly the size of a human... There are two of them! Three... Three humanoids approaching the bunker." Sampson agreed.

"Kairah, bring up the cameras close to the entrances, see if you can get a good view of what's going on out there." Tyler said, the hint of a smile long gone.

"Nothing showing up on the nightvision..." Kairah said, moving the cameras and looking around.

"Switch to thermal." Tyler ordered.

"Boss..." Kairah started.

"Switch to thermal. If they're still alive, they'll show up." Tyler murmured.

Reid held his breath and hoped for the best...

* * *

(1) ASVAB stands for Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery. It's pretty much a test to see what sort of positions you can hold within the military, like if you're smart enough to be an nuclear engineer or not. The higher the score, the better job you'll have.

(2) No. This is not a typo. My brother and I call them Zombits. I'm not sure why, but that's what we do. A little bit of humor injected into the situation. :D

(3) Pronounced "See-Oh". Stands for Commanding Officer. Basically the dude/chick in charge of a given group/operation/team.

(4) The _Enola Gay_ was the bomber that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan during the second World War.

(5) If you've never seen "28 Days Later", the film says the "virus" carring "zombie-ism" was transferred to people through a monkey bite. In this instance, I'm saying think of it more like it was transferred to monkeys through a people bite. XD Well, maybe not a bite, and I don't mean there are zombie monkeys... I'm thinking of it more like the monkeys were infected but you don't know 'cos they don't react.

**_THE INTERACTIVE PORTION OF THIS FIC BEGINS NOW!!!_** I know you guys are pissed that this was a cliffie, but you're going to determine how the next one starts through your reviews!!!

If the three humanoids on Sampson's RADAR are human survivors, add to the end of your review the word **_GYPSY_**.

If the three humanoids are zombies, add the word **_ZACK_** at the end of your review.

If the three humanoids are zombies leading up a horde of their peers, add the word **_MAGE_** to the end of your review.

If the three humanoids are the rest of the Covenant, add to the end of your review the word **_ANDROMEDA_**.


	50. ANDROMEDA

**A/N:** Sorry about the update time. I've been busy because of Christmas, and my dog died on the 23rd. =/ I tallied up the codewords in your reviews, and it was overwhelmingly "**ANDROMEDA**" that won. So it was the rest of the missing Covenant that showed up. If this sucks, I'm really sorry. I just feel bad for leaving you guys hanging and with all that's happened recently, if I didn't start and post this now, it would never go up. =/

**waywarddaughter:** Yes, I did want to make Tyler seem changed by all that happened, and what better way than to make him bitter?

**julliette:** Tada! Andromeda.

**Pola:** Glad you like it.

**0EMMA BLACK0**: I apologize for the error and hope it didn't detract from the story too much...

**MizuRyuu77:** It _would_ have been easier to make it Chase, yes. But I'm trying to see how much I can bend a character's personality using AU background information and keep it all believable, if that makes sense. :D

**beginningxofxthexend:** It's good to see you again too, lol. As for the videogames... I've only recently started getting into gaming really heavily (I personally blame Ubisoft and their Assassin's Creed franchise for a good majority of it), but I've had a facination with zomibes since I was in grade school. o.o I chose the codewords very carefully, though a few of your assumptions were off... I chose Gypsy because survivors are unlikely to stay put. Zack was a codeword for "zombie" used in the book "World War Z", Mage was a very vague WoW reference ("Mages" in a "Horde". XD) and Andromeda is a star, like the penagram used to symbolize the Covenant. :D Sorry you were out-voted though. =/

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I had a feeling at least one person would be upset, lol.

**LadyV.2102:** I'm sorry it was confusing. =/ And I'm glad you and your friend liked it. Unfortunately, ANDROMEDA received more votes than GYPSY did. =/

**the great one:** Your vote was counted. :D

**LawleyPop024:** Wow. I'm glad you like it so much. :D

**_

* * *

Previously on Isolation..._**

_"Don't be stupid. It's virally based, moron. No heartbeat, no way for the blood to circulate, no way for the infection to spread. Really, Reid. I knew you were slow, but this just tops it." There was a hint of a smile on Tyler's face._

_Before Reid could comment, Kairah yelled, "We have motion in the southeast vector, unable to get a clear visual. Appeared to be humanoid in shape and motion."_

_"Second that. RADAR shows it to be roughly the size of a human... There are two of them! Three... Three humanoids approaching the bunker." Sampson agreed._

_"Kairah, bring up the cameras close to the enterances, see if you can get a good view of what's going on out there." Tyler said, the hint of a smile long gone._

_"Nothing showing up on the nightvision..." Kairah said, moving the cameras and looking around._

_"Switch to thermal." Tyler ordered._

_"Boss..." Kairah started._

_"Switch to thermal. If they're alive, they'll show up." Tyler murmured._

_Reid held his breath and hoped for the best..._

**_Continuing..._**

"Got it! Three hot spots! Blazing fucking orange!" Kairah whooped.

Tyler released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He approached his desk and pressed a button near a microphone once the hotspots reached one of the enterances.

"Halt. This is a government regulated bunker. Please identify yourself before proceeding." Tyler said into the microphone. He waited for an answer.

"My name's Chase. I'm here with my brothers, Caleb and Pogue. We're just looking for a safe place to crash until the sun comes up."

"Open the door." Reid said softly.

"Kairah, open the medbay up. Set up the quarantine locks. Find Shawn have him get ready to check them out." Tyler ordered.

"The three of you need to turn to your left. Follow the edge of the base around. The next door you come to will open when you reach it. Enter quickly and wait for our medic to check you out." Kairah ordered gently.

"Just let them the fuck in! They're our brothers, for fuck's sake!" Reid hissed.

"I can't do that, Reid."

"It's pitch fucking black out there, Tyler. The longer they stay out there, the more danger they're in. Just let them in through the front fucking door!"

"Reid!" The whole room stiffened and jumped. Tyler was never one to raise his voice at anything.

"I cannot let them in that way. Not only is it completely against protocol, but it puts all of us in danger."

"They would never let themselves get hurt by one of those things." Reid said, pointing at Tyler and walking towards the younger boy.

"You need to step back, Reid." Tyler warned gently, stepping back, trying to keep their distance even.

"They're our goddamned _brothers_, Tyler." Reid hissed.

Tyler grabbed the front of Reid's shirt and threw him against the desk, the blond's back pushing maps aside.

"I've lost a lot more brothers to those things than you could imagine. It starts off with just letting one person past the quarantine protocols and it fucking ends with half the goddamned compound either dead or infected." Tyler growled.

"You really have fucking lost it, haven't you?" Reid asked, feeling sorry for the younger man.

Tyler's eyes turned sad and he released Reid, stepping away from the desk, straightening his olive-colored shirt and walking away. Reid followed close after him.

"Where are you going?" Reid asked.

"To look in on the med wing, see what Shawn's found about our old friends."

Reid followed his friend through the maze of corridors and to a room with a wall of windows. Their brothers sat on four tables, waiting patiently while a man with light brown hair and dark eyes looked them over.

"What have we got, Shawn?" Tyler asked into a speaker.

"So far, all of them clean. A few minor infected scratches, nothing a little Neosporin won't fix. Aside from that... A few bruised bones and a torn muscle or two. They're clear to enter." Shawn said, hardly glancing up from a form he was examining.

Tyler walked to one of the doors, pressed a few buttons, and the panel slid open. He stepped into the room and his three old friends froze.

"No fucking way." Pogue said.

"Tyler? What the fuck are you doing here?" Caleb demanded.

"We thought you were in Canada!" Chase agreed.

"I was requested a transfer here. There were a few project ideas that were floating around the Agency. I decided I wanted to oversee the work going on here." Tyler shrugged. He walked over to Shawn and looked over a folder with him.

"You guys are clean enough to be admitted... Reid, I trust you can show the others to the tech room." Tyler said, glancing up at the blond.

"We aren't done talking." Reid pointed at Tyler and walked away.

"Get over yourself and kiss him already." Shawn muttered once Reid and the others were gone.

"Watch it. Don't forget you're talking to a superior officer."

"Not really. I'm still technically a civilian." Shawn smiled. He closed up the medical file he was reviewing and walked over to a desk.

"How _are_ things coming?" Tyler asked.

"Slow going. Two of them are possible prospects, but only one shows any serious potential."

"Good, good. Nice to see Project: Sirius on track... I'd like to see all of our progress finally pay off."

"I don't know that you'll live to see the progress pay off." Shawn sighed.

"What?"

"I looked over your medical records again, Tyler. I recrunched the numbers. I talked to Kent and Kairah and Sampson and James... You've been lying on all of your medical forms."

"I will_ not_ lose my command position here."

"You don't have to. All you have to do is what you're told."

"You damn well I can't do that, Shawn."

"Look Tyler, no amount of meditation before coming in here can hide the fact that your blood pressure readings are high. If it weren't for all the calming stuff, I imagine your readings would be through the roof. At the rate you're going, expect a heart attack within the next two years or so. Maybe less."

"Destressing is impossible around here. In case you haven't noticed, the world is coming to a fucking end."

"The least you could do is sleep."

"As much as I trust--"

"Our training as much as your own, blahblahblah. I've heard it several hundered times before. We all have." Shawn huffed.

"There's too much to be done." Tyler sighed.

"Then let someone else do it. It's not like we're currently short-handed. We're perfectly secure in here, Tyler. And in the off-chance that something goes slightly wrong, we could always recruit one of them to help out." Shawn put the folder away and Tyler rested on the edge of one of the tables.

"Go out there, talk to your friends, have a beer or a shot or something. Go fuck the blond one. Do _something_ that doesn't include worrying that something is going to happen to anyone inside this compound." Shawn ordered.

Tyler rolled his eyes and walked away. He ignored Shawn's advice and sat down behind his desk. He looked over a few papers and looked up with a scowl as someone seated themselves on the corner of his desk. Chase wasn't phased by the glare.

"Can I help you?" Tyler asked.

"You just seem stressed." Chase shrugged, toying with a blueish dogtag that hung from his neck.

"You're a scout." Tyler said, ignoring Chase's observation.

"Yeah. I've been collecting survivors and taking them to clean zones for the past year now. Me and Caleb. We found Pogue a few days ago, didn't find anyone else. We're taking him up to Buffalo."

"I see." Tyler murmured.

"How long has Reid been here?"

"About two hours, give or take."

"Have you kissed him yet?"

Tyler sputtered on the mouthful of the energy drink he'd been trying to enjoy.

"_What_?" Tyler demanded.

"We all knew that you two were _close_ during high school. I was just wondering if you'd rekindled that old flame is all." Chase shrugged.

"There's nothing to rekindle. I was a different person then."

"So was he. All I'm saying is that you look like you need to get laid." Chase shrugged. He removed his posterior from Tyler's desk and made his way to Kairah's desk where Caleb, Pogue and Reid were talking about some old television show that was just getting good when the outbreaks started and everything was cancelled.

Tyler rested his head on his desk and wondered just what it was that made everyone think he _needed_ Reid. He had made it this far and seen things the general populous would instantly reject as theories and nightmares. And he had made it through all of that alone. His eyes opened when he felt himself falling. He was on his bed and Reid was hunched over him. From their position and the typical mess all over the floor, Tyler concluded that he'd fallen asleep at his desk and Reid had tried carrying him to bed, only to slip on what appeared to be a file dating back to the Cold War, dropping both of them on the bed.

"Good morning, sunshine." Reid smiled gently.

Tyler was, for once in his entire military career, unsure of what to do or how to react. He scrambled desperately for a protocol that would tell him how to deal with this sort of situation. Protocol was all he had to rely on, the only thing he'd had to keep himself sane through everything he had seen, had experienced. Reid could see Tyler's racing thoughts and was taken back to their senior year, when Reid had begged Tyler to not run off to the Air Force. He'd seen that same racing, calculating look.

"Why do you always have to resort to things you _know_? Would it kill you to do things you _feel_?" Reid demanded softly.

"Because I'm not sure what to feel right now." Tyler admitted after several long minutes.

"Stop being so logical."

"Easy for you to say. My entire life the past six years has been one train of logic after the other. It never ends for me." Tyler murmured, looking away from Reid's pale blue eyes and looking to the papers scattered over the floor.

"So stop it. You're the only one who can."

"Just drop it, Reid. Just let me get some damn sleep." Tyler sighed.

"I'll make a deal with you. Give me fifteen minutes of you _not_ being a Vulcan(1), and I'll go away and let you sleep."

"Fine. Where should we start?"

"Don't think about it." Reid shrugged.

Tyler took a deep breath and kissed Reid's lips, savoring the sensation he'd been denied for over half a decade. Reid, as much as he wanted to, didn't rush the kiss. He kept his hands firmly planted on the mattress instead of roming Tyler's planed chest and stomach. He knew that if he pushed things, Tyler would use it as another distraction.

The kiss didn't last nearly as long as _either_ of them would have liked, but Tyler had opened the proverbial box of Pandora. He no longer felt like kissing Reid. He felt like yelling for all of the horrors he'd seen. Then he felt like crying for all of the people he'd watched die... He cried until he was so emotionally exhausted, his body slowly shut down and he fell asleep still clinging to Reid's shirt.

Reid was still holding him when he woke up.

"Sorry about that whole uncalled-for display of emotion." Tyler murmured, embarrassed and trying to extricate himself from Reid's arms.

"It wasn't uncalled-for. It was necessary. But I do have one question to ask you."

"What's that?" Tyler asked, suddenly suspicious.

"Would you happen to have any vodka lying around? See, I bet Chase that it would take more than carrying you to bed and demanding you talk to me for you to open up..."

"You made a wager on my emotions?" Tyler yelled.

"No. We made a wager on how stubborn you are. Looks like you've changed quite a bit." Reid smiled, kissing Tyler again. The brunette didn't put up much of a fight. He recognized a pointless venture when he saw one.

"Are you going to Buffalo with Chase and Caleb and Pogue tomorrow morning?" Tyler asked later.

"Do you have room for a civilian?" Reid teased.

"Well, with Kent out with the flu and no signs of an early recovery in sight... I suppose we could keep you, see how you handle things..."

Chase and the others were ready to go shortly after sunrise. Chase insisted they get an early start to maximize their amout of daylight.

"As much as I wish I could tell you to stop by any time, I can't really let you guys in unless it's an 'emergency', so try to be within at least three miles of one of those gravewalkers next time you pass by this place, yeah?" Tyler asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Maybe we will." Caleb smiled.

"You sure you don't want to come to Buffalo, Reid? I hear they haven't had a serious sighting in four monts." Pogue pointed out.

"The base is shorthanded. And besides, I don't like the cold _here_, in Massachusetts. Why would I want to put up with it a few miles north? You guys go without me." Reid shrugged.

The three travellers hugged their brothers and exited through the bunker doors. A few minutes later, Kairah announced that they were out of range of the cameras and all sensors. Tyler turned to Reid then and asked, "How long do you think you'll stay here?"

"Personally, I don't much like the smell of the undead. Or even the sight of them. Or that obnoxious moaning noise they make. And their horrible biting habit... Probably when things clear up enough for me to wander about with no worries." Reid smiled.

"Well, it just so happens that a bed may have opened up... Assuming you can earn your keep, of course."

"Of course. Where should I start?" Reid asked.

"Kairah! You and Haven take Reid here outside and work on cleaning up those camera motors." Tyler ordered.

Reid rolled his eyes and groaned. Looks like Tyler wasn't "emotionally healed" enough to avoid making his life miserable... But, Reid thought, if the sex was anything like the kissing, things could work out...


	51. The Best of Both Worlds

**A/N:** This one is... Strange... To say the least... Erm... I'm not entirely sure where the idea to slash this came from, but I kinda decided to go with a short, sweet, to-the-point ReidxTylerxChase. o.o All I can say is that I think I've learned my lesson when it comes to lurking on certain boards... I know this is my second update this week, but think of it as a New Year's gift. :D I hope this one's tolerable...

**julliette:** Tada. :D

**LadyV.2102:** Well... I've always like zombies, vampires, werewolves, dragons, ghosts... Anything mythical and inexplicable. And I was bored one day and listening to one of my favorite bands(E.S. Posthumus) while re-reading a book about a fictional zombie war (World War Z) on a very long drive to visit my great-grandmother... And for no reason at all, it just clicked. Wow... I just realized how random my though processes are. XD

**Lawleypop024:** I'm glad you like it so much. :D

**beginningxofxthexend:** Wow. I have to say that I really look forward to your reviews because you always make me reconsider what the hell I'm currently doing, lol. The idea for the "interactive" part came from one of my favorite webcomics. The artist did a little brief series where you could choose which way the semi-stupid protaganist went. That's where the general "interactive" concept came from. As for the outcomes... I had a vague idea of what I wanted to happen. I knew I wanted Tyler to be different. But after that... I wasn't sure where I wanted the story to go. I didn't know if I wanted to show how he reacted to a few straggling undead, or with a new group of people, or with his brothers, or against an entire wall of the zombies. So I put the interactive concept into action and let you guys choose what I should write next. :D I'm working on going pro with my writing... It's just taking some time, lol. And I wanted to keep them _in character_, but yes, I really wanted to stretch the character at the same time. :D

* * *

"This isn't right." Tyler gasped.

"Do you want me to stop?" Chase asked.

"No."

"Then stop complaining."

Part of Tyler felt beyond guilty for kissing Chase like this while Reid was out of town visiting family. But the other part of him was exhilirated at the prospect of having a secret worth keeping. Chase's teeth skimmed across Tyler's neck and the younger boy was pulled from the deep recesses of his mind and to the shallow depths of carnal pleasure.

"Damn, Chase. Not so hard." Tyler whined when Chase bit his collarbone.

"You never complained before." Chase purred.

"Reid is due back today."

"When?"

"This afternoon." Tyler moaned.

Chase pulled Tyler close to him and bit Tyler again.

"Damn it, Chase. Do you _want_ Reid to find out?" Tyler demanded.

"No need to worry about that."

Tyler's eyes snapped open and he looked to the doorway. Reid was leaning against the doorframe with his duffel bag at his feet.

"Fuck. Reid, look, it's not... I mean... You can't... He..." Tyler was incoherent, both from the shock of Reid showing up so early and the lingering ecstacy that came from kissing Chase.

"We weren't expecting you back so soon." Chase said calmly.

"That much is obvious. I'm sorry it had to end like this, Baby Boy." Reid sighed. He grabbed his bag and turned to leave. Tyler wrenched himself from Chase's arms and ran to the blond, grabbing the edge of his shirt.

"Don't go, not like this." Tyler pleaded.

"What do you want me to do? And to think that everyone was worried _I_ would cheat on _you_."

"Don't. Please don't be mad."

"How should I react? You chose Chase over me. I get it."

"I don't want to choose!" Tyler yelled.

Reid stopped his tirade and Chase got off the bed, moving to stand near Tyler.

"I don't want to choose between the two of you... My entire fucking life I've lived thinking that I'd die a hermit, Grandma Death (1), living far from society and checking the mailbox every day even though I know damn well that no one cares enough to write to me," Tyler's voice cracked and he paused a moment before continuing, "And then I met you, Reid. And you gave a damn about me. I think you still care. And then... God, Reid... Kissing you is like... It's like a lava flow. It's a slow, thick heat that takes its time and God knows I fucking need that." Tyler smiled.

"So why do I come here and find you kissing Chase?" Reid demanded, hurt evident in his blue eyes.

"Because kissing Chase is like lighting a gas stove. All it takes is one little spark and in the blink of an eye the flames are burning at full heat." Tyler smiled.

"And you want the best of both worlds, don't you?" Reid asked.

"Why can't he have both?" Chase asked, throwing his arms around Tyler and resting his chin on the shorter boy's shoulder.

Reid glared at the pair for a moment before he dropped his bag and his hands slowly curled into white-knuckled fists at his sides.

"Let go of Tyler." Reid ordered.

Chase went to protest, but Tyler shrugged out of Chase's grasp.

"Let's not make this worse than it has to be." Tyler whispered.

Reid stepped into the room and pushed Tyler aside. He grabbed the front of Chase's shirt and Tyler cringed. But instead of hitting the brunette, like Tyler half expected his boyfriend to do, Reid kissed him, dead on the lips. There was a tense moment when no one was quite sure what was going on, but then Chase's hands tangled into Reid's hair and it seemed safe to breathe again. Tyler smiled faintly, hoping that things were going the way he'd always secretly wanted them to. It was a few long moments before Reid and Chase separated. Reid's hungry eyes roamed Chase's face for a bit and then his cool baby blues turned to his boyfriend.

"I think you have a point when it comes to Chase." Reid whispered huskily.

Tyler took a tentative step forward and Reid latched on to him. Reid's hungry lips were moving feverishly against his own and Tyler clung desperately to the blond. He felt Chase move behind him and he was pressed very close between the two older boys. Chase's hands rested on Tyler's narrow hips while his lips, teeth, and tongue busied themselves with the silky skin of Tyler's neck. Tyler moaned and arched in every which way, wanting more of everything. It was like being set ablaze, a white phosporous burn. Bright, and hot, but slow...

Later that evening, when the three of them collapsed a sweaty, heaving, writing mass of tangled limbs on the king sized bed in Tyler's room, Tyler wondered just what poor, deprived, misguided soul had first begun insisting that you couldn't have the best of both worlds...


	52. Reid and Tyler Mini's

**A/N:** Before we really get started here, I just want ot say that I had a really hard time not posting these as individual drabbles. :3 I really thought about just posting five seperate mini-fics that followed the story line like this does. And it is a story line. This was based on a series of pictures I found in a lovely little message board, though they weren't Tyler/Reid pictures. They were actually from my most recent obsession (Assassin's Creed. :D). There are a few of you guys who are always asking where I come up with this stuff. It comes from everywhere. If you wanna see the pics, message me. :3 **_ALSO!!!!!_** It was brought to my attention by the ever-vigilant and faithful **beginningxofxthexend** that I forgot to explain the "Grandma Death (1)" at the end of the last story. I apologize. This is a Donnie Darko reference. I love that movie. Forgive me. She's a brilliant woman who's extreme intelligence caused her to be ostricized by the community who just couldn't accept her advanced ideas. :3 Now reviews:

**julliette:** Glad you enjoyed the sensation of being on edge.

**LadyV.2102:** I was looking for an "out-of-nowhere" kind of experience... This is what happens to my writing when I lurk on imageboards. Things get odd and sexually frustrated. XD But I'm glad I made your day better.

**LawleyPop024:** I understand being stuck at a relative's with no internet or computer. Wouldn't you know that some of my finer moments of inspiration are at my 85-year-old great-gram's house where she has no internet or computer to speak of? -.-;

**blo0d StaiNed Rose: **If by "that" you mean "slightly random", then yes. If by "that" you mean "sexual tension between our favorite characters", then also yes... So... yes-es all around. :D

**beginningxofxthexend: **I personally love it when the imagery is so steamy you feel like you're cooking from the inside out. And I'm glad I was able to replicate it. :D And the "deep recesses" to "shallow depths", that one was alllll Epsilon. It had to be. It came from nowhere. XD I'd hoped Reid's entrance wouldn't be too much of a cliche, but I'm glad it worked for you without looking cheap. :D

**

* * *

****Kodak:**

It was the perfect Kodak moment, if there was ever one to exist. There was nothing in the way of the two of them. There was just them, and there was nothing else. There were no reputations. There were no expectations. There were no hidden motivations. There were no worries. There was nothing else.

Reid and Tyler sat on a bench in the courtyard in the back of the school. Their hands were intertwined, fingers laced. Tyler had fallen asleep and his head had drooped, falling onto Reid's shoulder. There was a faint smile on Reid's face as he gently stroked the younger teen's hair with his free hand.

----

**Chaste:**

Tyler stood behind the island in the middle of his kichen. His hands were flat on the table as he leaned over a magazine. There was a grapefruit half sitting forgotten nearby. He looked up when he heard someone enter the kitchen. Reid walked up to the thin island and placed his arms on the counter. Tyler straightened up and looked at Reid. There was light pouring in through the large windows that seemed to make up the kitchen. Reid was bathed in light and it made him seem almost angelic. He rested his forearms on the counter and Tyler leaned forward slightly, entranced by the way the light was playing with the shade of blue that Reid's eyes were. Reid pressed a soft kiss to Tyler's lips and the blond smiled when he didn't try to shy away.

----

**Passion:**

He meant to walk right by Reid. His nose was, as usual, buried in a book with another stack under his free arm. He was trying to get to the front of the library to check out the books he needed. He, unfortunately, never made it that far. Reid grabbed Tyler's arm and spun him around, causing the brunette to drop his stack of books with a series of dull thuds. Tyler tried to protest, but Reid's hand that _wasn't_ wrapped around his forearm was suddenly curled around his waist and their lips met somewhere in the middle. The kiss was sudden, unexpected, firey, and agonizingly passionate. Not to mention, in the middle of the school library.

----

**Audience:**

It had been one hell of a long day. One hell of a _very_ long day. Reid threw his bag to the ground and kicked the door to the dorm room closed. That done, he reached up and grabbed at the knot on his tie, pulling the striped monstrosity away from his throat. His sweater vest was close behind and he had grabbed the bottom of his white button-up shirt and had begun pulling it up and off when he realized his audience. He raised an eyebrow at the inexplicable look in Tyler's eyes. The younger teen got up from his position on the bed and walked up to Reid, his cold fingers trailing along the warm skin of Reid's taut stomach. The blond kissed him and the shirt was removed shortly thereafter.

----

**Bound:**

Tyler's back arched and he moaned rather loudly. His hands were tied above his head to the bedposts and he had no way of influencing Reid's movments, actions, or teasing ways. He lay naked under his blond lover, begging and pleading. The silk of the sheets at his back was a frigid contrast to the excruciating heat radiating from Reid's body over him. He writhed and moaned and demanded that Reid just give him what he wanted. Reid smirked down at him and contemplated ignoring him for a few more minutes. But at the desperate, pleading glance in Tyler's eyes, he decided to give in. The faint rubmarks on his pale wrists were testiment enough to his love of Reid's binding dominance, to the dismay of his brothers.


	53. Forever

**A/N:** Okay. Mini-poll on this one. I'm contemplating making the next one a **_LEMON._** I know right? Little bit of a leap for me... I already have it mostly written. I just wanna know what you guys think about it. I haven't actually written the "big scene" because I'm torn between LEMON and LIME... Your opinion counts. Why? Because I love my readers that much. :D

**LadyV.2102:** I'm glad you and your friend enjoyed them so much. And don't worry. Random things remind me of random song verse too, lol.

**forgetMEalways:** Psh. Slash makes everything better. XD But I know what you mean. A few weeks ago, I was snowed in and slash was all I had for entertainment. XD

**julliette:** Bound and Audience were my favorites to write, actually. The pictures that inspired them (that were, unfortuantely _not_ archived like I thougth -_-') really stuck with me for some reason. _Especially_ the one for audience. :b

**beginningxofxthexend:** I'll agree that Chase didn't flow quite so well, but that was the feeling that I got from the picture that inspired it. It was kind of a scene probably in the middle of something else. (knowing the background of the characters involved, I'd probably say a little bit of an argument ended with an unexpected smooch.) Ah yes... Passion... That one was kind of meant to leave you hanging. Something so randomly spontaneous...It's perfectly Reid. XD When I wrote "Bound", the picture sparked a picture in my mind that was just Tyler acting nonchalant about the pink marks on his wrists while Pogue tried to ignore them, Caleb tried to not kill Reid, and Chase was generally unruffled like always, lol. Again, I'm still looking for someone who had those pictures archived. Sorry to get your hopes up. =/

**LawleyPop024:** People seem to agree that "Bound" was a favorite, lol. At any rate, I'm glad you enjoyed.

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** Glad you liked it and I'm always willing to share when I have inspriation. :D

* * *

It was a little, meaningless trinket to anyone who glanced at it, to anyone who didn't know the history behind it. But it was more than that to Tyler. It was a lot more than that to Tyler. It was almost a girly bracelet. But Tyler stopped caring about that a long time ago. It was a simple chain with a thick but narrow curved plate to fit his wrist with the word _"Forever"_ written in a flowing script across it. He took comfort in it's surprising weight, in the faint jingling sound it made when he moved.

There was only one other trinket that he could claim to hold just as dear as that bracelet. They were the cold metal dogtags that Reid gave him before he left. They were stamped with their names and their anniversary date and the word "FOREVER". Reid had said something about buying silencers for them, but Tyler had insisted otherwise. He took comfort in the way they were so close to his heart; Took comfort in the almost annoying and irritating clanking they made constantly.

He remembered when Reid had come home and told Tyler that he'd enlisted in the Army. First Tyler had yelled and screamed. Then he cried and sobbed. And then he began to accept that it was happening. It was rough for him, when Reid started his basic training. Tougher for him when Reid had announced he was going to Air-Borne School so he could get "jump certified". And then Reid had been home for a while and it was all okay. Sure, Tyler had moved closer to the base so he could see Reid whenever possible, but if that's what it took, that's what it took.

The heartbreak didn't set in until Reid was called up. Active duty. And Tyler couldn't follow him because they weren't married and couldn't be married in the state. So Tyler had to wait for the letters to come promising that he was still okay, promising that it was alright and he'd be home soon and he'd be moving in with Tyler, off-base, as soon as he was state-side.

So until Reid came home, he would rely on the girly bracelet and the annoying tags. Though, he'd been relying on them more and more heavily of late, now that the letters had stopped, now that the latest letter was a month and a half late. Reid always wrote regularly.

"Why don't you come see a movie with me sometime?" Kate asked.

"Maybe you could come to the bar with me and Chase." Caleb suggested.

"You could always tell the mechanic that his systems are shit when I get the Ducatti upgraded." Pogue smiled.

Tyler had turned their offers down and decided, instead, to go to work. Come home. Pay his bills. Wait for a letter. Listen to the reminders Reid had left. Because Reid had promised him "forever".

It was another two weeks before the car showed up. It was a sleek black car with American flags pouring from the rear windows. Tyler felt suddenly sick and fought the urge to bolt the doors and pretend he wasn't home. It was a typical condolance car.

"Sorry Sir/Madam. I regret to inform you that your loved one, -insert name here- was killed honorably and in the course of their duties. They died a patriot serving their country." (1) Tyler didn't want to hear the cookie-cutter speach coming from a person who didn't know Reid. He didn't want to hear that Reid was dead. Because Reid promised him forever and he meant it.

Tyler watched from the kitchen window as the door opened. Service dress slacks, patent leather shoes, up to a shine that reflected every pinpoint of light. Tyler felt tears sting his eyes. This was really what was going to happen. He closed his eyes against the tears and forced himself to look out the window. The man was older, grayed, wrinkled, withered, wizened. Tyler realized he was spewing out these adjectives to avoid describing what the man _really _was, at least in Tyler's mind; He was the Messenger of Death.

The man ducked down and a second pair of feet appeared. Tan combat boots, scuffed up and leading to desert digi cammies. Tyler felt his heart jump. Had they sent one of Reid's friends from his platoon to break the news easier? To hear it from someone who actually knew him? Tyler saw the standard-issue cap appear above the car door. Crutches set down by the boot-clad feet. Someone Reid died saving, then. Tyler thought tiredly. He supposed that when it all actually sank in, he would sit at home and until there was nothing left of him.

The soldier started hobbling out of the way and Tyler walked to the door. Might as well face this head-on. The car door was closed and the pair had started up the path to Tyler's front door when he finally stepped out on to the porch. And it had to have been a mirage. Or a cruel trick from God.

"Reid." Tyler whispered. Reid smiled and started moving a bit faster up the walkway. Tyler leapt from the porch and ran to Reid, holding his lover's face in his hands, unable to stop the tears flowing down his face.

"Reid? Reid? Oh God." Tyler threw his arms around the blond's neck and never wanted to let go. Reid hugged him back, albeit a little awkwardly while still tring to support himself on the crutches.

"What are you doing here with the Messenger of Death?" Tyler asked, too excited to recognize the less than endearing term.

"What?" Reid asked.

"The goddamned condolance car, Reid." Tyler said angrily.

Around this time, the Messenger of Death managed to catch up to them.

"I take it you're the Tyler Simms he wouldn't shut up about then." The old man said with a smile.

"Yes." Tyler said with a cool tone.

"I'm Garwin's Commanding Officer. Garwin has been in the hospital for the past two weeks recovering." The man said in a measured tone that was clearly used to cadenced orders.

"Recovering? Reid, what the hell did you do? Why didn't you call?" Tyler demanded.

"Hey, easy Baby Boy. I tried calling. The landline was disconnected and your cellphone kept going straight voicemail, which was full." Reid rolled his eyes.

"Oh, God. I thought that was Kate trying to call me from her sister's number." Tyler groaned.

"I understand that these past few months have been difficult on you, Mister Simms. I came with Garwin here as a bit of a courtesy. I came to give you this. Garwin says he won't put the damned thing on. For all his loud-mouth bragging, he sure knows how to play the saint card."

Tyler took the thin, black case from the man who wasn't, in fact, the Messenger of Death. The man saluted Reid, who hastily (and a bit sloppily) returned the gesture. He man got back into the car and it drove away. Tyler opened the case and wasn't entirely surprised.

"A Purple Heart and you won't touch it." Tyler smiled. Reid shrugged and the brunette helped his lover inside.

They sat on the couch and held eachother for a few long minutes before Tyler asked the question that really broke his heart.

"How long before they call you back?" Tyler asked.

"That depends." Reid sighed.

"On what?"

"If I'll ever walk properly again. One of the docs said I'll always have a limp and might not be able to really run like I used to." Reid shrugged.

"And what if you can't?"

"Honorable medical discharge with full benefits."

"What...What _did_ happen out there?" Tyler asked slowly.

"It was all Martinez. It's always Martinez." Reid laughed.

"What did he do this time?"

"He decided that he was going to play a prank on Griffiths, supposedly harmless, right?"

Tyler nodded and clung a little closer to Reid while he spoke, glad that Reid had kept his promise of "forever".

* * *

(1) I don't think/know that's how it really goes. I've never had to deal with that, so I'm just sort of going on all the old war movies I've watched. XD

**A/N2:** I know this one was a little depressing and a little down-beat, but it kinda hits close to home. Two of my brothers just graduated Marine Corps boot camp and a boy I've had my eye on for years landed in Afghanistan on Wednesday. I gotta write what I feel. =/


	54. Red Dress: LEMON WARNING

**A/N:** **_THIS IS OFFICIALLY A LEMONY PIECE; THAT MEANS, SEX BETWEEN BOYS._** If you're not comfortable with that, please, wait for the next update or hit the back button. I normally reference the song that inspired the piece, but I am STRONGLY suggesting you follow this link to the song I listened to while writing this piece: youtube(dot)com/watch?v=LQRh_koli9E. It really set the tone for the story. :D

**LawleyPop024:** I didn't mean to make you cry!!! But I'm glad you liked the story anyway.

**julliette:** I couldn't bring myself to kill Reid. I'd end up crying myself. XD

**beginningxofxthexend:** It's real rough having them all out there like that, especially with one of them... He's actively over there right now. The others are still training State-side, so I have that. =/ I tried the lemon. I think it flows nice, considering I spent the entire time I was writing this blushing like an idiot. XD I actually got the inspriation for making all the jewelery so descriptive and such by my real-life jewelery. While I was searching for a concept, I shook my wrist to send my bracelet sliding back down away from my wrist to make typing easier and I was like: "D'Awh! That was such a pretty sound!" And it grew from there.

**forgetMEalways:** I was toying with the idea of making it someone from Reid's platoon that went to see Tyler, hence the reason it was so vague until the end there, because I just couldn't decide. XD

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** Thanks so much for your encouragement. :)

* * *

Sex with Reid was always an adventure. There was a certain element of danger involved. Tyler knew Reid would never go out of the way to hurt him, but Tyler also knew that his masochism and Reid's _clearly_ dominant personality gave everything a razor-sharp edge.

It usually started off innocently enough, with a little kiss on the side of Tyler's neck, a nip at his earlobe. And before he knew it, Reid's tongue was in his mouth and he was holding on for dear life, praying Reid would never stop whatever it was that he was doing that felt so damned good.

This would inevitably lead to Tyler laying flat on his back, hands somehow or another tied out of the way, mewling and begging while Reid's hips skimmed across his, making him moan and writhe. Reid knew just how to rock his hips against Tyler's erection to make him scream, he knew where to bite and lick to make Tyler hard.

Tyler gasped and pleaded as Reid's hands slid down his chest. Tyler wasn't sure when his shirt had disappeared, but it had. Reid's lips and tongue were making a trail down his chest and stomach, stopping at the waistband of his pants.

"God, Reid. Fuck." Tyler pleaded.

Reid slid his hand across the bulge in Tyler's pants, making the younger teen arch and moan loudly. Tyler tugged at the ropes holding his hands to the bedposts, wanting to force Reid into giving him what he wanted. Reid slid the tips of his fingers just below the waist of Tyler's jeans, his cool fingers dragging along hypersensitive skin.

"Please, Reid. Anything, just please." Tyler gasped. He would do whatever Reid asked. He just wanted the teasing to end.

Reid kissed Tyler roughly enough to assert his dominance (not that he really needed to...EVER), but not roughly enough for Tyler and his desire-addled, masochism-driven body to get the fix he needed. He leaned up into the kiss, trying to feel Reid's teeth on his lips. He was vaguely aware of Reid's fingers undoing the button on his jeans, vaguely aware of his zipper being pulled down with painstaking slowness... But all he could really focus on was the feeling of Reid's teeth making a slow, winding trail... First his neck, shoulder, collarbone... He was so wrapped up in the feeling of Reid's close attention to that spot on his neck that never ceased to turn him on, he didin't even realize he'd been stripped of his clothes until Reid left him, naked on the bed with unattended desires. Tyler whimpered and Reid only smirked.

He'd had detention that afternoon and was subsequently still wearing his school uniform. He slowly pulled the tacky sweatervest over his head and tossed it across the room. He slowly loosened and untied his tie, throwing it onto the desk. He unbuttoned his shirt with such slow decisiveness that it made Tyler ache. The shirt slid away from his shoulders, down his arms, pooling on the floor. Closely following were the stuffy dress pants and a pair of obnoxiously bright green boxers Tyler had bought him for Christmas as a gag gift a few years back.

Reid's chest pressed against Tyler's. Tyler gasped and moaned, wishing he had something to grab on to to keep him anchored. He could feel Reid, rock hard and pressing against his inner thigh.

"Stop teasing. God, please. Stop it." Tyler gasped. He was reaching a point where he wasn't sure he'd ever be able to function properly again. It felt like he was overheating, like he was stuck in a vortex where he desperately needed this to just be over, pleasure be damned. He needed his release. He couldn't take the teasing any more.

Reid smiled. He knew just what he was doing. He knew how much Tyler could take before it went from good-natured sadism to blatant dickishness. He knew that he was coming close to crossing the line. Still kissing Tyler, he reached across to the nearby table and (somehow, with one hand) unscrewed the top to a tube of lubricant and slicked some over his index finger.

Tyler arched and gasped as Reid's finger entered him. His hips bucked and he moaned softly when Reid added another digit. Reid's fingers curled and he pressed Tyler's prostate. The brunette screamed, glad the door was locked. Glad his father was somewhere in Italy. Glad his mother was somewhere in Germany.

Reid ghosted a kiss over Tyler's parted lips.

"Please. Please. Please." It was a whispered, breathless phrase that played on loop in Tyler's mind. Reid removed his fingers and positioned himself to enter Tyler.

Tyler gasped sharply, his mind blanking, as Reid entered him. Tyler wrapped his legs around Reid's waist, silently, wordlessly, asking for a moment. No matter how many times he submitted to Reid, no matter how many times he let Reid fuck him mercilessly, be it in bed or bent over the desk or against the wall if they wre feeling a little more adventerous, it always felt new. He felt Reid move slightly and his hands were suddenly free. He dug his fingernails into Reid's shoulders and back.

Reid's thrusts were slow and well-calculated. Tyler gasped and arched and moaned and begged and screamed. Reid had angled so that every little movement would push Tyler a little closer to his climax.

The younger teen felt as if he were walking a razor-thin wire with no safety net. One little push in either direction was all it would take until he was sent tumbling into parts unknown.

"You know what I want to hear." Reid growled.

Tyler couldn't force words out of his airless lungs, couldn't make words out of the haze of pleasured thoughts.

"Give me what I want, Tyler." Reid demanded.

Tyler knew exactly what his lover wanted.

"Reid." Tyler managed. It was a strangled moan. It sounded like the only word he knew, sounded like the name of God on his lips. It brought about a low, guttral moan from Reid and Tyler felt a shiver slide across his spine and he forced Reid's head down so their lips met in a hot, sloppy kiss.

Reid could tell Tyler was coming to the end of what he could tolerate. Reid knew that he was getting close to the end himself. He bit the side of Tyler's neck where a purple bruise was already forming from repeated abuse and Tyler screamed, his grip on Reid tightening as his orgasm shook his body. Tyler screamed wordlessly as every muscle in his body clenched and released rhythmically. Reid made a sharp noise as the contractions wrapping around his hard length similarly sent him over the edge.

When they could both breathe again, they stumbled into the bathroom to get cleaned up. Tyler frowned in irritation at the purple-blue bruise on the side of his neck, at the hickey on his collarbone, at the teeth marks on his abdomen and shoulders. Reid pulled him into the shower, under the beat of almost-too-hot water, and Tyler shook his head with a smile. Sex with Reid was always an adventure.


	55. Immune

**A/N:** I don't want to call this one another zombie one, because it's **_NOT_**, but it was inspired by a zombie game. I was watching my brothe play Left 4 Dead 2 (totally awesome game) and his character climbed on top of this bus with a frying pan in his hand, just swatting the zomies away from him as they climbed. For some reason, I just pictured Tyler trying to get out of some sort of post-apocalyptic war zone. This is what was spawned. :3

**LadyV.2102:** I'm really glad you liked that chapter so much. I've been meaning to update, but I'm really obsessing over Assassin's Creed right now, so my bastard muse has been throwing those concepts at me. Plus I'm going through the college application process (way far behind, I know, but I'm starting at the CC level, so it's kinda w/e). Here's an update, at any rate. :D

**julliette:** I am so glad I made your day. I kinda thought that fic would ruin a few days. XD

**Accidenta1:** We all want a teddy bear like Reid.

**LawleyPop024:** Thanks for the praise. I needed the ego inflation, lol.

**Pola:** I'm glad you enjoyed it.

**beginningxofxthexend:** Well, I will admit I'd made a few early attempts at Lemon writing, but I always trashed them before I got too far. X3 I was thinking about doing the whole full-lenght thing, but I'm so terrified it'll end up stupid. =/ And I'll admit that I'm a bit of an ADHD reader. If it's not really necessary, I'm not interested. I often find myself skimming sentences to see how much of it I can skip. XD So I try to avoid boring the readers because I'll end up boring myself if I do. XD I wanted to kind of keep things a little mild for my first Lemon, and for someone who is as mild as Tyler, even the biting and ropes thing is an adventure. Maybe next time I'll make it more devious. :3 I'm really glad you liked it.

* * *

The world was ending when they first met; or at least that's how it seemed. The riots had gotten out of control. He stood on top of a bus that was surrounded by burning cars. The wind curling off the blades of the chopper whipped his dark hair around, though he didn't seem to notice. He looked skyward, suddenly disinterested in the cricket bat clutched in his hands or the screaming people trying to get to him. His cool blue eyes gazed up at the helicopter and followed its path through the sky. A shout pulled him from his reverie and he turned, pushing the man off the top of the bus as gently as he could. The helicopter turned back and a rope ladder was dropped. Tyler let the bat fall from his fingers and he grabbed on to the ladder. He climbed as quickly as he could. His ascent was aided in knowing that there was a bloodthirsty mob just feet below. He felt a strong hand pull him up on to the deck and the world began to move. He felt a headset being shoved down on his head and a calm voice flooded his ears.

"That's one hell of a show you put on down there."

Tyler looked up at the man who had saved him and offered a small smile.

"What were you doing down there all on your own?" The man asked.

"Trying to get out while I could." Tyler shrugged.

It had started off as 'nothing to be worried about'. It had ended up being the next big plague. People were dying in the streets. The vaccines weren't working. There was no cure. Scientists weren't even too sure of what it was. But they were sure that there were people out there who were immune to whatever it was and the only hope to be had for curing this laid in their blood. Some people took that literally. Tyler was immune. Those fanatics were after his blood.

"We'll be in a safe zone in about twenty minutes. We'll have a doctor get a good look at you. I'm Chase, by the way."

"Tyler."

Tyler took the opportunity to look around. They certainly worked with military proficiency, but this was a civilian heli with what appeared to be a civilian crew. It didn't matter to Tyler. He'd survived the past six months in a state of near total and constant panic. He was glad to be out of there. Once most of the city had become infected, they were quarantined. Their only contact with the outside world was the occasional research team decked out in hazmat suits or the National Guard in hazmat suits delivering supplies to the cut-off infected.

"This is our stop." Chase's voice crackled over the headset.

Tyler nodded, still lost mostly in his own world. The helicopter landed relatively gently and Tyler removed the headset, sure to keep his head down and far from the chopper blades as he followed Chase.

It was a mansion they had landed atop of. The sprawling grounds were surrounded by chain link fence and wicked sharp barbed wire. Beyond that was another round of fencing with more barbed wire. There were trip lines attached to spotlights beyond the second round of fencing and people constantly patrolling.

"What's with all the security?" Tyler asked.

"The Army knocked on my door a few months ago. Asked if they could keep a couple of guys stationed here seeing as how we were so close to the infected city we pulled you from. They want to do some sort of R-and-D with the Plague. I figured that at best they'd be keeping me safe if anyone manages to break out of the city and decides to do a number on the nearest person available. At worst they're going to eat all of my food and Uncle Sam will pay for the grocery bill." Chase shrugged.

Tyler just nodded. It made sense. Chase was getting a bit of a free ride on the government dollar. And he was smart for allowing them to stay there. It was rather well known that, for whatever reason, the mind decayed faster than the body when the plague was concerned.

"So why were you on top of that bus?" Chase asked, leading Tyler through various corridors and down several stairs.

"I'm one of the unlucky immune that didn't make it out in time. I figured it would all blow over eventually, that people would calm down. The next thing I knew, the city was shut down and I couldn't get to the exit point fast enough."

"Why didn't you just tell them that you were immune at the gate?" Chase asked. It was well-known that if you passed a simple blood test they'd whisk you off to safety.

"There's only one exit to that city now. I was headed there when you found me." Tyler shrugged.

"Well, at any rate, you're safe now. Here's the doc." Chase opened the door and a man in a uniform looked up.

"Chase. Another survivor?" The man asked.

"Tyler here is as immune as I am. I want you to give him a good once-over. The plague-heads had chased him up on to the top of a bus. I don't know how long he was up there before I found him."

"Sure. Have a seat." The man gestured to a small cot. Tyler did as he was told.

Blood was drawn. Tests were run. He was poked, prodded, examined. His pupils were checked. His tongue was depressed. His lymph-nodes were pushed. His kneecaps were tapped.

"You're clear and definitely immune. If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to take another vial of blood for testing."

Tyler shrugged and said he didn't mind. He'd lost blood in worse ways. The medic opened the door and Chase was waiting outside for Tyler, who self-consciously tugged the sleeves of his long-sleeved shirt down to his wrists. But not fast enough. Chase's hand wrapped around his wrist and pushed the shirt back.

"What the hell kind of scar is that?" Chase asked.

"The kind that comes from an unattended wound." Tyler shrugged.

"That much is obvious. Where did you get it?"

"I was bitten."

"By one of the plague victims?" Chase almost didn't believe it.

"He'd been infected a few days prior to the incident. I'm not entirely sure how, but he was. He started freaking out. Told me the secret to the cure was my blood. Bastard bit me and tried drinking my blood. It was the first time I'd ever killed a man. Not really a memory I enjoy revisiting."

"Is that why you were on that bus with a cricket bat when we flew over? Because they were trying to drink your blood?"

"Yeah. One of the first psychological symptoms of the plague is auditory hallucinations, followed by visual hallucinations. Then you have the gradual failure of the internal organs, then the seizures, then the blindness, which is followed by paralysis and eventual death, and the hallucinations continue all the while. Those around the bus were hallucinating. All it takes is one psychopath to say drinking my blood is the key. The rest will eventually follow suit. Three weeks and that was as far as I'd made it." Tyler shook his head bitterly.

"How'd you make it that far? I mean, with that many people carrying the plague in the city..."

"Rooftops. I climbed up on one roof and stuck to them as much as I could. There were times when I'd have to drop down and navigate the streets, but it was difficult. That's where the plague victims were. Sleeping was the hardest though. Sometimes I'd have to break into abandoned convenience stores and down caffeine pills to stay away."

"Where did you sleep when you could?"

"Any place that had some sort of 'reinforced' door. Anything but wood. You get enough of those bastards knocking hard enough, the door's bound to go down eventually. There was an elementary school I slept in for a few days once, just to catch up on long-lost sleep. The teacher's breakroom had a thick metal door and no windows. There were some vending machines I managed to break open and survived on snack foods until the infected got bored with waiting for me to come out and wandered off to look for someone else."

"You're welcome to stay here. Even if a plague-stricken mad-man _were_ to get out of the city, we're a dozen miles from the city and surrounded by the Army."

Tyler smiled and murmured that he'd like to stay. He followed Chase for the remainder of the day, getting the tour of the mansion. Most of the rooms were filled with various bored soldiers. One of them had been turned into an armory and another had been turned into a massive supply closet with uniform articles neatly categorized and organized and placed in their proper place. They eventually reached a wing that was very nearly empty, except for the odd occupied bedroom.

"You can have this room. Tomorrow I'll help you fill out the proper requisition forms in triplicate and block-lettering for some new clothes." Chase grinned. Tyler thanked him.

The bathroom was well-stocked. It was clear they were used to people passing through here all the time. There was a knock at the door and Chase handed him a few sets of clothes, saying they seemed to be around the same size and he could bear to part with a few outfits. Tyler thanked him again and was glad to get to a shower. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had a real shower, mostly just scrubbing surface dirt off his skin while standing under a broken pipe while he was on the run. He was sure he smelled awful and looked worse and a glance in the mirror proved him right.

What Tyler was really looking forward to was sleeping in a real bed with real blankets and pillows. It was the little things he missed the most, the little luxuries he didn't consider luxuries until he had to struggle to get the necessities. Sleep was merciful and came quickly.

He didn't realize he was having a nightmare until someone woke him up. He heard a dying scream lingering in the empty room and recognized it as his own. Chase's gray eyes were locked on his and Tyler realized what was going on. He must have been thrashing around and trying to hit Chase because the older man was straddling his hips and holding his wrists against the mattress.

"Are you alright?" Chase asked gently.

Tyler didn't trust his voice, so he just nodded. Bits of the nightmare came back. He'd fallen while he was trying to out run the psychopaths with virus-controlled mentalities and they'd decended on him, all snapping teeth and bloodthirsty eyes.

"It was bout the city, wasn't it?" Chase prodded.

Tyler nodded again... There had been a pot hole in the road. He hadn't seen it. He'd been too busy looking back at the horde and not enough time looking where he was going...

"Hey, look at me. As long as you're here, you don't have to worry about that." Chase said seriously.

"Are you going to protect me yourself?" Tyler asked bitterly. He'd trused a man once. The man had listened when the voices told him to befriend Tyler before biting him.

"If I have to, yes."

"Why?"

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"I gave up on love when I gave up on hope and every other fary tale months ago when the plague-heads kicked my door in." Tyler spat.

Chase leaned closer to Tyler, inch by inch.

"What are you doing?" Tyler asked nervously.

"Changing your mind." Chase purred. He kissed Tyler gently, afraid of spooking the brunette. He was faintly surprised when Tyler kissed him back, though he didn't let it show.

"Have I changed your mind yet?" Chase asked.

"Almost." Tyler shrugged, reverting to the inverted, cryptic nature he'd developed after being on his own for so long.

"Anything I can do to finish the transformation?"

"You can start by not leaving me alone. And then you can keep your promise of not letting any of those things anywhere near me again." Tyler's voice wavered.

"Anything you ask." Chase smiled. He got off of Tyler and the bed and held a hand out. Tyler sat up and took the offered hand, following Chase to the opposite end of the house. Chase's room was large, but it was dominated by a gargantuan, plush bed that made the room seem a bit smaller.

Chase flopped on to the bed with a strange, boneless grace and beckoned Tyler closer. The brunette curled up against Chase's warm side and Chase wrapped an arm around him. Somewhere, miles away from the fortified mansion, cars burned and the sick howled at the dark skies in their insanity. But Tyler had never before felt so detached and far from the chaos. He had never felt safer in his sleep than he did at that moment. He smiled in his sleep and moved a little closer to Chase, glad to have found another immune survivor who could act as his savior.


	56. Technicolor

**A/N:** "Oh God, what the hell is wrong with me?" That's what I kept asking myself while I wrote this. It's not very good, but it's something that I couldn't get out of my head. Caleb sees the world one way, and Chase screws it all up. Hope you guys like it at least a little. :heart:

**LadyV.2102:** I'm really glad you liked it. As I mentioned in the description, I was kind of loosely basing a lot of my imagery on the game "Left 4 Dead 2", so it really helped being able to actually _see_ what I wanted, lol.

**LawleyPop024:** I'm trying to keep the updates regular. Unfortunately, my Muse is a bigger pain in the ass than Reid. He finds it personally hilarious to disappear for weeks at a time and leave me floundering with nothing to write. -.-

**beginningxofxthexend:** You never cease to inflate my ego. XD I think that one was one of my favorites to write, actually. It was such a strong image that I got, Tyler standing on top of a bus with a pissed off crowd surging around him... I dunno. Some times I do really good by accident. XD

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I'm glad you liked the last two chapters. :D

* * *

There was a time when things were just black or just white. Then Chase showed up and it turned to mottled shades of gray. Then he thought Chase was dead and it went to just black. Then Chase showed back up and things were colors he couldn't name...

Caleb growled to himself and threw a textbook across the room, not noticing or caring when it left a small hole in the wall where the corner contacted the soft sheet rock. When did he decide to start waxing poetic about Chase and colors? For all he knew, Chase was bullshitting the entire "I'm a changed man" speech. It wouldn't be the first time they'd been taken in by a line of shit from an innocent face.

Caleb nearly screamed. Now he was calling Chase an innocent face and lingering a little too long on what that face looked like. What in the _hell_ was wrong with him? This was the kid that tried to kill all of them!

He couldn't even remember what he was supposed to be doing before he caught himself thinking about Chase. There was no good way for this to turn out. They were either going to have to fight him again, something that was now infinitely more dangerous, seeing as how the entire Covenant was at danger of becoming addicted, or they would spend the rest of their lives mistrusting Chase and waiting for him to slip up. Caleb wished the world would just go back to black and white. Things would be easier if-- A pool of ice formed in the pit of his stomach, sending an uncontrollable chill up his spine. Someone was Using. He turned to the door of his bedroom, planning on calling Reid and asking what he was thinking _this _time and he stopped. It wasn't Reid that had been Using...

"You seem pissy." Chase purred.

"What do you want?" Caleb demanded. He'd warned Chase to stay away from them...

"We've had this conversation. I have everything I could possibly _want_. It's what I _need_." Chase slowly advanced as he spoke. Caleb felt fear dig its sharp claws into the back of his mind, tearing at rationality and screaming to attack. His only solace could be found in the fact that Chase's eyes were still a pale blue, not black.

"We've had this discussion. More Power won't stop the aging or the addiction. Mortality is the weak-spot, not the Power." Caleb growled.

"I didn't say anything about the Power, did I?" Chase cocked his head to one side and Caleb jumped as his back hit a wall. He was cornered. Chase to his front, a wall to his back and no clear path of escape. He was going to have to fight his way--

Black, white, gray be damned. The world was a strange shade of lust-driven violet as Chase's lips crashed over his own. Chase's tongue flickering over his lips brought to mind sparks of ochre need. He hadn't realized how desperately he was clawing at Chase until the older boy smirked and promised he wasn't going anywhere. The hungry growl that tinted Chase's words tinted Caleb's world a dark, hazy red. Chase's lips on his neck sent orange flares cutting through the cloud of red.

Caleb was so caught up in trying to catalouge how bright the world seemed, he didn't notice Chase had moved him until the bed at his back turned the situation to a warm mahogany that matched the syrupy, hungry need that was seeping through his veins.

Clothes were lost and the cold seeping under the partially open window brought on a pale blue chill that was pushed back by a crimson heat that was brought on by Chase's bare chest pressing against his own.

Caleb wasn't entirely aware of what Chase was doing, just aware that everything felt _so damn good_. He was caught up in technicolor pleasure and the feeling of Chase's name on his lips... Not even his eventual release was a blanket of white pleasure. It was an erruption of colors Caleb couldn't name or comprehend as the older teen's name fell in a jumble of half-coherent syllalbles.

He couldn't tell for sure when his life went from simple black and white to a near seizure-inducing shower of vivid pigmentation, but as he fell asleep in Chase's arms that felt faintly like burgundy, he decided that it didn't really matter.


	57. Shuffle Drabble Meme

**A/N:**This is a "Shuffle Drabble Meme". The rules of writing such a thing are this:

1) Pick a pairing, character or fandom you like

2) Put your music player on shuffle/random.

3) Write a drabble related to each song that plays. You only have the timeframe of the song to finish the drabble; You start when the song starts and finish when it stops. NO LINGERING!!!

4) Do ten, and then post them.

For simplicity, all of these are going to be Reid/Tyler. :D And for the reviewers...

**wild wonderland: **Wow... Didn't quite think it was good enough to make someone speechless, lol.

**LadyV.2102:**I'm glad you liked it. I personally love the Left 4 Dead games. Could just be me and my love of guns and zombies and misfits for characters, but hey, what ever plucks your duck, right? (Btw: That's just my way of saying 'whatever floats your boat'. I'm a little odd. XD)

**LawleyPop024:**Oh, Epsilon has completely buggered off and left me. I'm running this mission blind and it's a pain in my ass... So if this next chapter sucks, I blame it on the fact that I'm on my own. XD

**Marionet:**Well, Chapter 42, "Fireflies" was actually inspired by the Owl City song. I couldn't get it out of my head. Just sort of stuck with me, lol. I tried to make Anonymous clever, I really did. And Florida was kinda based on some stuff _I_went through, so it made it easier for me to make it believable, lol. And I totally wouldn't have minded you reviewing on every single chapter. People have done it in the past. I just really enjoy hearing what my readers think. :3

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** Thanks.

**beginningxofxthexend:** I have to say, every time you review, it makes me grin. It really does. I don't know why I was suddenly obsessed with the colors, but it started off as just me thinking about how black and white Caleb was and then I was like, "You know what? Fuck him. I like color." And it grew from there. I'm glad you enjoyed that one so much.

* * *

**1) "Drunken Lullabies" by Flogging Molly. [3 minutes, 50 seconds]**

"I don't care _what_ she said. You know how I feel and you know that's never gonna change." Reid insisted.

"Shut up. You're drunk." Tyler pouted.

"So are you."

"So?"

Reid laughed without being entirely sure of what was funny.

"And now you're laughing at me. Asshole." Tyler stuck his tongue out.

"Don't stick your tongue out unless you wanna use it." Reid warned.

"Fuck you. I'll do what I want." Tyler stuck his tongue out again.

Reid wrapped his lips around Tyler's protruding tongue and the brunette jumped. Reid had never been that forward before... But then again, there had always been something about vodka that made Reid act funny... Tyler's tequila-addled brain gave up on coherent thought when his tongue was pushed from Reid's mouth and back to his own and was accompanied by Reid's tongue.

They probably should have been ashamed of making out at a party that most of Spencer's Academy was attending, but who cared? Everyone was drunk... And it wasn't really their first time doing something like that either. They had a very bad habit of finding themselves in the same mess, drunk, leaning against each other and kissing like crazy while the party raged on around them. They might regret it in the morning, sure. But that didn't matter. Not at the moment.

* * *

**2) "Umbrella Beach" by Owl City [3 minutes, 50 seconds]**

Tyler didn't much like the beach. He was too pale, for one thing. He always went home with a sunburn, no matter how much sunscreen he used. The reason he decided to go and at least try to have a good time was because Reid loved few things more than the sun on his face, sand between his toes and sea water on his skin.

Tyler decided that it was nice enough outside on their secluded section of the beach. It was too far from the boardwalk for the tourists, too close to a sandbar for good waves to surf, and too close to a rocky outcropping for worried parents to let their children near. They were the only people for yards in either direction.

"Come on." Reid said, grabbing Tyler's wrists and pulling him into the surf. Tyler laughed and splashed Reid with the blue-green water.

Despite the slight sunburn he earned from too much time in natural light, Tyler decided it was a good day.

* * *

**3) "Zydrate Anatomy" by The Repo: The Genetic Opera Cast [3 minutes, 51 seconds]**

The disappointment was evident in Tyler's face and his tone. Reid sighed and dropped to the bed with a sigh.

"You promised me, Reid." Tyler warned.

"I know. It was just one time. Just to take the edge off, you know?" Reid said.

"It only takes one time to take the edge off and then we're right back to where you were six months ago. You can't afford to Use like we're kids anymore, Reid. You're already addicted and that means you're already living on borrowed time."

Reid sighed. He knew Tyler was right, but sometimes he just needed a little help with the agony, and a little help came in a little spark of Power that worked wonders for him. Tyler sat next to his boyfriend and threw an arm around his shoulders.

"You need to slow down, babe. At the rate you're going..." Tyler let the thought hang unfinished.

"It's not easy, Baby Boy. We're all living on borrowed time. Some of us are just better at holding on to it." Reid shrugged.

As much as he hated to admit it, Reid was right, but it didn't change the fact that he had a problem.

* * *

**3) "Let The Monster Rise" by The Repo: The Genetic Opera Cast [2 minutes, 42 seconds]**

He'd been caught, busted. His secret was out.

"So much for changing, huh?" Tyler growled. He didn't wait for an answer, he turned on his heel and stormed away from the dorm room.

"Tyler! Tyler wait!" Reid yelled. It didn't take him much to catch up to the pissed off brunette. He grabbed Tyler's arm and tried to stop him, but he was shaken off.

"You said it was a fling and you fucking lied to me. Christ, if you're in love with Caleb so much, then fucking tell me and stop stringing me along." Tyler hissed.

"It's not like that, Tyler."

"It certainly looked like that."

"It was one time."

"You said that last time."

"It was for you. You told me... You told me that you didn't want to go much farther than kissing or holding hands and you didn't want me to rush you. Fuck it all, Tyler. I can't go from being a whore to a celibate priest over night. I didn't want to hurt you by rushing you."

"You still hurt me."

* * *

**4) "Pompeii" by E.S. Posthumus [3 minutes, 40 seconds]**

It was like an eruption, like something uncontrollable. And despite his reputation as a control freak, Tyler rather enjoyed it. He enjoyed the spontaneity that came with dating Reid. He liked not knowing when he was going to be slammed against the wall and kissed until he couldn't think or when he was going to be allowed to pass without being harassed.

This was one of the times Reid had decided that Tyler's calculus class could wait. He threw Tyler onto the bed and attacked every inch of bared skin he could sink his teeth into. It didn't take him but two minutes to have Tyler a sweaty, needy mess. And that was with their clothes on.

Reid wasn't sure when or where these perverse moods would occur, but the did love the look Tyler got when he knew he was in for a ride. Maybe that's why he was so lax with his self-control... However perverse it seemed, Reid couldn't claim to be bothered by "sexually assaulting" Tyler when and where he chose.

* * *

**5) "Menouthis" by E.S. Posthumus [3 minutes, 55 seconds]**

The dance they danced was a dangerous one. They both knew what would happen if either of them slipped up. If Tyler gave in too quickly, the power would go to Reid's head. If Reid pushed too hard, then it would be all he could do to get Tyler back to anything near willing. It was complicated and rushed, but well worth the risk.

They had learned, years ago, all the steps, all the turns and dips that came with the territory. The only problem was that the music and the tempo were never the same twice. It kept them both guessing, both toeing the line they knew they shouldn't cross for fear of a neglected libido.

Tyler would pull at the short leash he was kept on, pushing the boundaries of his limited dominance and Reid would find new and creative ways to push him back. A difficult dance to perform without stepping on the toes of your partner.

* * *

**6) "Hello Seattle (Remix)" by Owl City [5 minutes, 53 seconds]**

The best things in life were slow, or so Tyler had heard. Love did not rush, or so he had been told. He quickly decided that was where the philosophers were wrong.

The first time he'd kissed Reid, they had been at a party. It was someones birthday and the theme was rave. There was loud techno, strong booze, and bright glowsticks. He had started the party off siting in the corner and sipping at whatever he had in that bottle he'd grabbed. The next thing he knew, he was in the center of a writhing mass of sweat-slicked bodies. He looked behind him and up at the person who'd pressed their chest against his back and Reid's eyes glowed bright in the fleeting light bouncing from the strobe in one corner of the room.

Tyler decided the best thing he could do was go with it. The dance was fast-paced and driven by alcohol-fueled lust. He knew what his movements were doing to Reid, because Reid's motions were doing the same thing to him.

There was a lull in the music and he turned to face Reid, throwing his arms around his friend's neck. Reid rested his forehead on Tyler's and they swayed slightly as the music picked back up. They were back to grinding against each other in no time and it was, surprisingly, Tyler that decided he was going to initiate the kiss. He was glad beyond words when Reid kissed him back, the blonde's tongue sliding readily between his lips. This wasn't slow, it wasn't chaste, it didn't take its time. They were frenzied and lusty and glad it worked out that way.

* * *

**7) "On the Wing" by Owl City [5 minutes, 1 second]**

Tyler was happy right where he was. He knew, in that moment, he had reached nirvana. He had found peace on Earth and it was wrapped up in Reid's arms. It was sprawled under the oak tree where they had first shared their serious kiss in middle school watching the night sky. His head was on Reid's chest, their legs tangled together, Reid's arm wrapped around him.

"Remember when I promised you that I'd love you until the day I died?" Reid whispered.

"Yeah." Tyler looked up at Reid.

"I lied."

Tyler looked heartbroken.

"I am going to love you until the sky comes down around us and the planet collapses and the sun explodes and I will love you until infinity ends." Reid said seriously.

A slow smile spread across Tyler's face and he hugged Reid tighter.

"I don't want you to ever forget that." Reid murmured.

"I don't think you'd ever let me."

"I've never been this serious about anything before."

Tyler stretched and kissed Reid gently. This was perfection. He doubted heaven could compete, unless he got to lay under an ancient oak tree with Reid's arms around him for an eternity.

_"Until the sky comes down around us and the planet collapses and the sun explodes and I will love you until infinity ends."_

_

* * *

_**8) "Nineveh" by E.S. Posthumus [3 minutes, 41 seconds]**

The greatest rush he'd ever experienced was sleeping with Tyler. It was like free falling with no parachute, just one endless fucking plunge. He wasn't the type to let _anyone_ push him around, but for Baby Boy, Reid made an exception. Anyone would, given how surprisingly talented the younger teen was.

Tyler knew how to string him along, how to stretch the pleasure out, how to make him fall until he was sure gravity was a myth and that Newton was dead fucking wrong. There was no quick stop with Tyler, you just gradually faded from falling to floating to trying to recover. Reid would stare up at Tyler's face and convince himself that he was staring at the taboo Angel of Carnal Pleasures. Tyler knew where to push, where to stroke, where to bite and tease...

His favorite moments were the minutes when he would float off into ecstasy and Tyler would just smile down at him.

* * *

**10) "Label" by Render [3 minutes, 24 seconds]**

Reid couldn't call him anything but perfect. But his opinion was biased. He was head over heels for the kid and he wasn't ashamed to admit it.

He couldn't call Tyler a nerd or a geek or a bookworm or anything of the sort. It was just easier to call him Perfect and leave it at that. Reid would tell Tyler whatever he wanted to hear if it would make him happy, go along with anything if it would make Tyler happy. The sky, green? Only for you babe. Santa Clause, a pedophile? I'll call Chris Hanson with Dateline: NBC. Tyler was a genius, a party-goer, a nice kid, a tiger in the bedroom... Reid just hoped Tyler knew what he was to him. In a single word: Everything. The only thing that mattered.

* * *

**A/N2: **In the event that someone has read the Shuffle Meme I did for Assassin's Creed and recognizes the songs used here, it's just because the library on my iPod is painfully small because I lost everything when my iPod broke and computer crashed a few months ago. I also know that it's only been five days since my last update, but I'm trying to work while I still have something to work with because Epsilon (my Muse) has decided to take a vacation and Malachite (my Inspiration) is nursing a sudden infatuation with Modern Warfare 2. -_-'


	58. Envy

**A/N:** I'm sorry about not updating this. I really am. Shit happens though, right? So, this is part one of my seven-part collection to do with the seven deadly sins. I know. I choked on the cliche too. But! It's a steady enough topic and I think I can do some cool things with them. ;) We're going in alphabetical order, just because I think I should. Up first (obviously): Envy.

**beginningxofxthexend:** To be perfectly honest, I didn't notice the numbering mistakes in the last chapter. XD I was writing that on like, three hours of sleep and early in the morning. XP I'm surprised they turned out as well as they did! Hope you like this one.

**LawleyPop024:** Next chapter is here!! And I _did_ end up kicking Epsi's ass. The only problem is that he is now so obsessed with Modern Warfare 2, it's pretty much all I can think about. O_O I can't seem to win with Epsilon...

**LadyV.2102:** Don't feel bad. I end up handwriting a lot of my story ideas too. Mostly during class when I can't access a computer to type everything up. XD I listen to a lot of "obscure" bands, because I like the feel of it. I dunno... But I can't wait for you to get some stories up. :)

**julliette:** I understand having a full class schedule and not having time. Trust me! lol. There will be more to come for some time yet. :3

**forgetMEalways:** Music infuences my writing very deeply, so incorporating my feelings from the songs into the stories were almost second nature, lol.

**Wendy (aka, the anonymous reviewer on chapters 1-9):** I told you I'd convert you. Come to the darkside. We have boylove. Silly, silly Wendell, not keeping up with the concept of oneshots... Hope you keep reading kid. ;)

* * *

"I just don't get how he sits there and just... _gets it_." Reid sighed. He was watching Tyler study for a forensics exam, though it seemed more like the brunette was simply idly skimming the pages.

"What, jealous that you have to actually study?" Pogue asked with a chuckle.

"Fuck off and fuck you." Reid growled. He continued watching Tyler, envy sparking a low fire in his blood. Tyler could skip every study session for the rest of the year and still ace all of his courses with no problems. Reid studied his ass off, went to tutoring, skipped parties for book-reading sessions, and he still averaged a low "B" in most of his classes. He watched Tyler lazily flip through the pages in his book, not bothering with taking notes or highlighting important portions.

"We all have our strong suits, Reid. His is book shit. Yours is getting shit-faced." Caleb laughed. Reid flicked him off and gazed across the library, trying to catch sight of what Tyler was studying. It was well known that Baby Boy almost disdained "studying" with his "brothers", mostly because they were distracting. Reid was always pissing Caleb off and Pogue was just there to keep the fued running as long as it didn't resort to blows because their verbal sword-play amused him. So study hall was the only time the four of them were obviously, physically, and publically divided.

"I don't know why you're making this all about Tyler. I wish _I_ had a liver of steel like blondey." Pogue grinned, ruffling Reid's hair. Reid swatted his hand away with a dark scowl.

Tyler, despite his distance from his brothers, could hear their conversation. His brothers were right. He _was_ envious of Reid, but not just for his "liver of steel", as Pogue had put it. Ried was very socially affluent; he could interact with peope quite well. When he put his mind to it, Reid could tell you everything you could ever want to hear without making it seem fake, forced, rehearsed, or obvious that he was trying to bed you. Tyler was rather awkward when it came to conversing with people that he hadn't grown up with.

He'd had a few dates, most of them blind, and they never lasted. They expected things of him that he couldn't give. He knew what he wanted, he just had no way to go about getting it. He didn't have Reid's suave people skills, or Pogue's incredible abililty to baffle the populous with bullshit, or even Caleb's ability to dazzle with little more than a "mysterious smile". He had his books, and that was that. He spared a glance at his brothers' table when they became particularly loud. His eyes met Reid's and he noticed how Reid's smile faded from triumph over besting Caleb with his words to something a little more inexplicable; inexplicable with a jealous flicker. Tyler quickly returned his attention to his book and finished browsing the chapter.

Tyler soon closed the book and ducked out of the library, planning on going back to the dorm room and lurking on whatever message board caught his eye. Reid was already in the room and sitting at the computer.

"You know, I've been wondering..." Reid let the thought trail as he tapped a few more keys.

"Wondering what?" Tyler asked, dropping his bag on to the bed.

"Wondering how in the hell you can ace all of your tests and never study." Reid shut the computer down and turned to face Tyler.

"I've been wondering how in the hell you can drink a bottle of Everclear by yourself and not go to class the next day with a hangover." Tyler shrugged.

Reid didn't move. If he was amused, it didn't show. If he was pissed, Tyler couldn't tell.

"What do you want, Reid?" Tyler eventually sighed.

Tyler was slammed against the wall roughly, Reid's face close to his own.

"I want you to skip studying tonight. I want to see how you'll do on that test tomorrow."

"I wasn't planning on studying anymore anyway."

"I know you. You study, you take a break, you study, and so on, and on, and on. Not tonight."

"What's the point?"

"So you can see what it feels like to get a B."

"Jealous?"

"Maybe."

"How are you going to stop me from studying?" Tyler asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Like this." Reid kissed him quickly, not giving Tyler the chance to think or fight back. And while Tyler was suddenly envious of Reid's obvious skill when it came to kissing, he decided it didn't matter.


	59. GLUTTONY

**A/N:** GLUTTONY. Number 2/4. This one is Chase-centric, with light Chase/Caleb, just because this IS a slash collection... Hope this one sucks less than the last one did...

**LadyV.2102:** Yes, Reid does seem the type to get jealous over something like that, doesn't he? And don't compare your works to mine. Everyone has their own strengths. And most of my stories are based on songs too. Music and writing are _so_ important to me... Just lemme know if you want any help. I'll do what I can. ;)

**beginningxofxthexend:** Your honesty is refreshing. And I know that one sucked. It killed me to post it, but I couldn't get anything better churned out. :/ I considered making it longer, but I couldn't make it flow right. :/ I hope this one is better... Though I doubt it'll be hard to top the last chapter...

**LawleyPop024:** Epsilon... He's, uh... He's a masochist. I tried torturing him and it was almost counter-productive... Until I told him we'd work on my Covenant FanFic until we got something done and there would be no working on anything else until he cooperated. That worked well enough. :D

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** Glad you liked it.

* * *

Chase had a problem. That much was obvious. The way he couldn't sit still and how irritable he usually was... It was an Addiction, a problem. In between classes, he would sneak off into a dark corner and make sparks dance across his fingertips, just to give him a taste of what he needed. He would never be late. He'd just Use to transport himself to the classroom, keeping him out of trouble and giving him another dose of the Power, just enough to get him through the class.

When Caleb realized what was going on, it was already too late. Chase couldn't roll out of bed in the morning without Using to turn his alarm clock off. He'd Use his Power to summon up some kind of breakfast or something, teleport himself to class... He was so far gone, it was getting more and more difficult to do anything _but_ Use. He was already looking like he was in his late twenties. He was hardly nineteen and he looked so fucking old... But he couldn't stop. The withdrawls would start off simple enough, started off just uncomfortable. His head would ache and his stomach would flip and he'd feel dizzy. Then it got worse. Then it felt like his head was being split open and his heart would start pounding and it became all he could hear. The slightest amount of light would make his eyes burn. He'd find his diaphragm paralyzed, unable to get a breath in, making spots dance around the edges of his vision. If he waited any longer after that, it would begin to feel as if his very soul were being ripped from his body and he'd do something stupid just to make the pain stop.

Because that was the thing about the Power. When Chase was younger, he'd done drugs. All sorts of drugs. Just because that's what rich kids do. They blow copious amounts of money on cocain and weed and ecstasy and whatever else sounded like a guarantee for a good time. But the Power was something completely different. It splashed the world with colors LSD couldn't recreate. It banished pain like Morphine wished it could. The Power relaxed him more that any weed he'd ever smoked. It warmed him more than the strongest alcohol. And when you stare death in the face on a daily basis, you need some kind of escape.

Caleb had tried telling him that Using more wasn't the answer, that it was only making things worse. He didn't bother listening. When everything in life is going wrong, you turn to the one thing in life that makes you forget, whether it's killing you or not. He often considered trying to find some sort of help when he remember Caleb's puppy-pout and the hurt in those big onyx eyes. But the Power was a veritable Siren Song, something that he couldn't ignore. It was everything that he needed and more of what he wanted. It gave him control over _everything_. If he didn't like something, it was a flash of the eyes and it would be changed. He was a god among men. And his simpering "brothers" were too scared to embrace their power.

Chase sat in the center of his bed and rubbed his hands together. He could feel the withdrawls trying to sneak up on him. There was a dull throb in the base of his skull; that was always the first indicator. He knew that it would soon be followed by nausea and it would all go downhill. So he looked over at his desk and levitated his laptop over to his bed. It wasn't much, but it was enough to make the headache fade. He knew that before he could sleep peacefully he'd have to go out and do something drastic; that he'd have to go out and start a small storm in the Dells or something similar.

Because that was the catch when it came to the Power. It was just like any other drug. It starts off and you can just make flames dance over your fingers for a few moments and then it all goes back to normal. And then you have to play with the flames in the fireplace for five minutes or so. And then you have to move an entire car without touching it. And before you know it, the only way you can get your fix is to throw the entire planet out of orbit and bring it back.

There was a knock at the door and Chase grudgingly opened it. He knew he only had an hour or so before the cravings kicked in again. He hated dealing with people when that shit happened...

"Stop it." Caleb pleaded.

Chase rolled his eyes. Withdrawls or not, he didn't want to deal with Caleb's self-righteous bullshit.

"I'm serious Chase. You're killing yourself every time you do something stupid. Just stop it." Caleb begged.

"You want me to just stop? Just fight through the pain?" Chase asked softly.

"Yes. Just stop. Please."

"Tell you what Caleb, when you're addicted, and you're going through this shit, then you can come talk to me about just quitting like it's nothing." Chase slammed the door and slid down the cool wood until he was sitting on the floor. Of everything there was that could kill you, he never knew his gluttony would be the thing to do him in. He just Used and Used and Used because it felt _so damn good_. Except he Used too much. He wondered if Caleb's adivce would change if he knew the eldest of the Covenant was already dying of heart complications...

* * *

**A/N2:** Yay for angst and broody. XD Yeah. This isn't my best work either, but I kinda like the concept... I'm trying to get back in the flow of writing for this fandom, just because I've been gone for so damn long... Sorry for the suckfest guys. =/


	60. GREED

**IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!** I know a lot of you are disappointed that it took me two months to update this, but I'm loosing momentum for this Fandom. It's disappointing for me too, but I cannot guarantee the presence of any updates after I finish running the Seven Deadly sins. :/ If you like this story, I'd suggest putting it on alert because if I do update after WRATH, it will probably take a while. Sorry kids.

**LadyV.2102:** I think the biggest thing with using a song for a story is making sure people get it without bashing them over the head with it. You could always do like a songfic like some of my older works where the lyrics that influence the scenes are in the middle of the story. But if you want to do something full length, you can just make a "mental video" that goes with the song and write it like that? I wish I could help more, but a lot of my "techniques" are "unorthodox", haha. I think I'm probably oneo f the only people in the world who writes cute fluffy scenes while listening to Killswitch Engage, haha.

**blo0d StaiNed Rose:** Tada! Here's more. Though the updating schedule can only get more erratic from here... :(

**LawleyPop024: **Chase strikes me as the type of person with an addictive personality, the type of person to need any kind of rush he could get his hands on. So this wasn't a stretch for me, haha.

**Dark Angel's Blue Fire:** I couldn't let Caleb help him. I think Caleb tries to play the hero too much and too hard. You can't win them all, and I feel that's what he's trying to do. Gotta prove him wrong, hehe.

**beginningxofxthexend:** Yeah, that last one flowed better. I think this one is shitty though. I couldn't make it work out, you know? I dunno... I enjoyed breaking everything down into stages for Chase because my Mum's a nurse in the ICU, as well has having worked in ER and anywhere else you can imagine and she's seen a lot of detox and she talks about what it does to people and I felt that little bit of realism could help make this more believable. I'm glad you liked that one, hope you like this one, and I adore your honesty.

**silentlullaby:** Everyone should watch Rocky Horror at least five times in their life. XD

**xxFuturistico:** I used your pairing for this chapter. It really helped me get started again, actually, haha.

**AwayForLunch:** Sometimes puns aren't very "punny". Ahaha... 'Cause it's a pun of "funny" and "pun" and... Nevermind. XD Glad you like it. :3

* * *

Their relationship was anything but giving. They had their reasons for their greed, and that was good enough for them.

Chase had strict rules against attachment. Giving anything would begin the long and unnecessary process of getting attached to someone he didn't need to be close to. What did he need love for? It did him no good and would probably only serve to distract him from whatever goal he was chasing.

Aaron was greedy and selfish for a different reason. He was terrified of what he was doing. As much as he'd picked on Reid and Tyler for their relationship, here he was in one so similar... So he kept everything that was his to himself. A fuck buddy doesn't constitute a relationship and makes him nothing like those freaks.

Chase's birthday passes without so much as a card. He doesn't want the attention or the attachment, and Aaron doesn't want any proof of his doings lingering where they could be discovered.

Aaron ages another year. Chase nods to him in the halls as normal, but no congratulations are passed. Aaron would probably kick Chase's ass if he tried anything mushy, and Chase would rather die than bother trying to pick out a gift. They keep their money and their gifts and their cars to themselves and only share bodily fluids.

Valentine's day rolls around and is treated with sharp and bitter disdain from both parties. They decide to celebrate their sameness with a quickie in Chase's dorm.

Easter Sunday arrives. There are no hollow chocolate bunnies or Snicker's bars shaped like Easter eggs or little baskets filled with candy. Chase is bored and Aaron has nothing better to do, so they have at it. Neither notices or comments on the lingering gazes as they dress and go their separate ways.

Thanksgiving. Chase has no family, so he spends the holiday in his room with Chinese food. Aaron doesn't feel like dealing with his mother's shit, so he crashes in Chase's doorm and they split the cost of the Chinese and the soda and the movies they rent. It's just an excuse for them to avoid facing all the shit they hate more than spending time with each other that doesn't involve sex. They don't have a reason to share anything with one another. Love can't grow in the presence of greed and they don't want to be burdened by some cheap, poetic emotion.

It snows on Christmas Eve and Aaron wasn't about to run the risk of crashing his newest Porche or scratching it on an icy branch. So he stretches out on Chase's bed and ignores how close he is to the broody bastard. They're just sharing the bed out of convenience and when the morning comes, they'll swap spit and semen for the same reason. There's no need for attraction or love or any of that shit.

New Years. There's a party at the Dells, just like every year. Chase and Aaron see each other from across the bonfire and share almost imagined nodds. Two hours later when half the party is wasted and the other half is fucking in the sand, they meet up in the woods and share sloppy, booze-flavored kisses and stumble back to Aaron's car, swerve their way to the dorms, and fuck in Chase's bed. It's almost unheard when Aaron mutters "Happy New Year" around a drunken yawn. Chase blames the tequila for Aaron's outburst and the vodka for his own response of "Yeah, Happy New Year."

Valentine's day again. They celebrate their similar disdain for a corporate holiday with more sex, but this time it seems different. Were they moving slower? No. It was just a figment of their imaginations and born of overworked minds.

Christmas is the first measurable difference. Chase is tired of hearing Aaron whine about some car part that he can't seem to find, and Christmas is an acceptable reason to give it to him without looking too mushy. Aaron gives Chase that new laptop he was wanting for the same reason. They look at each other for a few long minutes before examining the packages in their hands and they know that there will be no turning back. There's proof of their doings and that means that there is an attachment.

Chase glances at the watch Aaron got him for his birthday and he sighs. Greed was his favorite sin, and here he was sharing...

"I swear to God, if Caleb Danvers _ever_ finds out about this, I'll beat you." Chase growls.

"Yeah, yeah." Aaron smiles. He kisses Chase's cheek and continues watching the movie playing on the television in the apartment they're now sharing.


End file.
